Lighting the Path
by Michael Weyer
Summary: When her Viper explodes, Kara Thrace finds herself recruited to a Corps that can lead to Earth and its special protectors. Crossover with DC Comics.
1. Recruitment

Lighting the Path

By Michael Weyer

Battlestar Galactica owned by Sci-Fi Channel.

Green Lantern and DC Comics owned by Warner Bros.

The idea for this has been bouncing in my head for a while so I thought I'd at least get a start on it and see if there was enough good feedback to continue it. All comments welcomed, thank you. For DC fans, this takes place shortly after the "Sinestro Corps War."

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Light.

That was what Starbuck saw of the world around her, just light. The light that called to her even as her Viper shook itself apart, the light that guided her in. She couldn't hear Lee's voice in her ears anymore, couldn't see anything beyond that light.

She knew what was happening though. She knew her Viper was about to explode and kill her but oddly, she wasn't afraid. After all she'd been through in the last three years, death held no terror for her. She'd fracked up so much with Lee, with Sam, with the fleet, everything, what was death after that?

When the Viper finally erupted, she felt herself hurled out of the fireball and into the clouds. She was surprised it didn't hurt, she figured the fire would be singing her all over. It didn't matter, no way she could survive the vacuum or the fall and the green clouds billowed about…

Wait.

Green?

She suddenly realized she wasn't falling. She was floating in the middle of the air as a green light enveloped her completely. She glanced around, baffled by how impossible this was before her eyes caught an object floating before her. She turned her head to see a small green ring with a circular symbol on it floating before her. As she stared, she heard a voice echoing from nowhere and yet everywhere at the same time.

"**Kara Thrace. You have shown the ability to overcome great fear. You have thus been recruited into the Green Lantern Corps."**

The ring flew out to wrap itself onto the ring finger of Starbuck's right hand. As soon as it did, the green glow flew outward, covering her completely. Her uniform vanished, replaced by a new one, green over her main body, black around her forearms and legs with green boots and white gloves. Her helmet was also gone as an odd combination of mask and headband wrapped around her face and head.

"What…the frackk?!" she gasped out.

"**Uniform completed. Prepare to journey to Oa for training."**

Without warning, Kara felt herself yanked off, her hand involuntarily moving forward as the ring directed her outward. Part of her mind was able to logically process things: Her body was covered by a green glow that radiated a strange energy. This energy apparently was protecting her from the ravages of space as she flew at speeds faster than she could ever hope to match with her Viper. The majority of her mind, however, was still trying to take all this in and thus made little protest as she saw stars whizzing by at such high speeds, they became blurs of light.

After what seemed only minutes, the blurs began to slow down as new stars and planets came into focus. One in particular dominated, a large world of green with bright clouds. "What is that?" Kara asked, not expecting an answer.

"**Oa," **the answer came. Kara realized at last that somehow, it was the ring itself speaking to her. **"The center of the universe. Home to the Guardians of the Universe. Base of the Green Lantern Corps." **

"Wait, wait…wait a minute!" Kara yelled out. With a stop so sudden it made her lose her breath, she halted in space. She hovered, taking a breath (and ignoring how weird it was to do it in a vacuum) as she held the ring up to her face. "Okay…what the frack is going on here?!"

"**Unable to translate query."**

Kara sighed. "What…what is a Green Lantern Corps?"

"**The Green Lantern Corps were established three billion years ago by the immortal Guardians to keep order in the 3600 sectors of the known universe. There are to be two Lanterns to each sector, thus a planned 7200 Lanterns. Current Lantern Corps number…"**

"Who are these Lanterns?"

"**Do you wish listing by alphabetical order, date of recruitment or species"**

Kara blinked. "Species? You…you mean…aliens?"

"**Correct. Current Lantern corps is made up of species selected from among 143, 262 known planets. Current rankings…"**

"Hold on," Kara interrupted. "Um…what do I do with…well, you?"

"**Full detailed analysis of ring's capabilities will take fifty-six standard hours."**

"How about edited highlights then?"

"**Ring is capable of protecting wearer from harm, from projectile to plasma and other energy weapons. The force shield can also provide protection from elements and travel at speeds just below those of light. Ring can translate all known alien languages. Ring's greatest ability is to create solid energy constructs at the wearer's bidding."**

Kara frowned. "What kind of constructs?"

"**As stated, dictated by wearer. Only restrictions are by bearer's imagination and strength of willpower."**

Kara took that in as she studied the ring then held it out before her. She concentrated, feeling the image forming in her mind and letting it run through her body. She could feel the power even before the ring began to glow, a beam of light firing outward and before her. It became solid, forming itself into a large shape as Kara continued to focus herself, her brow furrowing as she poured as much of her concentration into it as she could. Before her formed a shape that began to solidify itself, a solid green form that elongated to create a ship. Starbuck focused further to add details, windows, vents, exhausts and more until a green model of a Viper stood before her. It wasn't perfect to be sure but it was a close approximation.

"Wow," Kara whispered as she let her concentration go and the green image vanished in light. She suddenly felt herself being tugged off as the ring once more took control.

"**Warning: Ring charge at 22.4%. Imperative to reach Oa for recharge and training."**

Starbuck decided to let it go this time and allowed the ring to direct her on. She saw the large planet come into focus before her. She hissed as she hit the atmosphere, the heat of reentry coming in through the force shield. The clouds faded around her as she saw herself pulled over wide green field and plains of odd orange until a huge city came into view.

Green was all around it. Nearly every building, dome and tower was a bright green and seemed to glow as well. The few non-green buildings were mixed in but their colors seemed muted by the emerald glow around them. Several were of designs Kara had never seen while others reminded her of Caprica. Greenish roads and bridges curves around the landscaping as she flew overhead. The largest area was a platform at the center of the city. Atop it was a massive shape that looked like an old style lantern Kara had once used when camping as a girl. She circled around it as the ring glowed brighter and she swore she could feel it getting stronger in her grasp.

"**Ring fully recharged. Now en route to Corps Hall for training." **The path took them on a long arc around the city as Kara could make out various forms about, some walking, others flying. Kara couldn't help but stare at the ones who passed by. Many were humanoid but with skins of various colors, some with stuff like horns or antenna or spikes. Others looked like animals, bears, deer, even a squirrel. And others…others bore no resemblance to human beings at all. One looked like a crystal octopus, another a flying manta and yet another just looked like a green blob of some sort. What they all had in common were that all wore the same uniforms as Kara and the same green rings.

The ring finally flew her over a large circular building with an open ceiling. Kara felt herself lowered down until she landed among a group of other beings in green. A few simply gave her looks of disinterest as they glanced up at the stage before them. Kara focused on it herself to see a figure step forward. He was a hulking being about seven feet tall and seemed almost as wide. His head was boxy as well and pink-skinned, resembling a swamp-like creature, his black eyes with no pupils looking out over the crowd of beings as his wide mouth (with odd mandibles linking together at the lips) began to speak.

"Awright, ya poozers!" he snapped in a deep voice. Kara was jarred to hear him speaking Colonial, then remembered the ring had said it could translate all languages. "I'm Kilowog. I'm yer new best friend…and yer worst enemy. Some of you were hotshots on your home worlds…." Kara felt his eyes on her. "Some of ya were nobodies. And some of ya may get it in yer heads you just been recruited to play with the gods."

He leaned forward. "Well, guess what? From where I'm standing, ya ain't nothing but a buncha rookies, greenhorns, crap on my boots. In case ya ain't heard, we lost a lot of Lanterns in a war recently. A lot of good soldiers and a lot who had potential. We need to fill the numbers out and that brings ya here. Make no mistake, it's dangerous now and we need the best. I'm gonna mold ya into Green Lanterns and if I have at break ya to do it, that's what I'm gonna do!"

He pointed at his chest and Kara saw that in the circle was an emblem like the one on her ring. "Ya don't get wear this badge unless ya earn it and as of now, ya barely earn the air you breathe! You want to make it as a Lantern, ya listen to me and do as I say and maybe you can be lucky enough to survive."

He backed up, hands behind his back. "So before your hell begins…any questions?"

There was a pause as Kara slowly raised her hand. "Yeah, I got one. Anyone wanna tell me what the FRACK is going on here?!"

Kilowog narrowed his eyes at her. ""And who are you, girlie?"

"Kara Thrace, Captain, Colonial Fleet, BSG-114747," she recited. "Call sign Starbuck."

"Call sign?" Kilowog frowned. "What, you a pilot?"

"Pilot?" Kara grinned. "I'm the best you've ever seen, ugly."

Kilowog rolled his eyes. "Great. Just what I needed. A female Jordan."

Kara didn't know what that meant but shook it off as she moved forward. "Listen, I don't know what the hell is going on around here, I don't know you or this Corps or whatever you want. I need to get back to my fleet now so how about you show me the way and I'll send the ring back."

Kilowog glared at her. "You wanna leave now, girlie? Wanna wash out as a failure?"

Kara sniffed. "I'm not a failure, pal."

"You're what I say you are," Kilowog barked, pointing at her. "That ring chose you, which means something. Personally, I don't know what cause all I see is a little brat pilot with a lot of attitude and nothing backing it up. Ya wanna fly back to mommy and daddy at home? Sure, go…."

That was as far as he got before Kara Thrace decided to react to him the same way she generally reacted to superior officers who ran her down or at the very least annoyed the crap out of her.

A loud gasp of shock went out through the various Lanterns as Kilowog was sent flying through a nearby wall. Kara flew at him, the large fist formed out of her ring still in place as she threw her hand out, the fist smashing at Kilowog again.

He held up his own ring and formed a shield to block her attempt. He rose up, his mouth wide to show large teeth as he grinned. "Thanks, girlie. I was hoping someone in this class could be used for an example and ya just volunteered!"

He blasted out a beam of energy and Kara instinctively held up her fist. Without even realizing it, she formed a solid shield before her to block his attack. "Not bad," Kilowog said as he reached behind him. "Let's see ya block this!" He threw out his hand to send a small object flying at her.

Kara kept the shield up as she commanded the ring to form a bubble around the object. She saw it was a yellow disc, not dangerous as it hovered in the small bubble. Kilowog seemed surprised. "Damn. Rookies usually can't handle yellow so fast."

Kara frowned. "Yellow? What the hell does that have to do with it?"

"**Green Lantern rings had an impurity that would not affect the color yellow," **her ring answered. **"That impurity was tied to an entity in the Central Power Battery known as Parallax. Said entity was purged and now…"**

"History lessons later!" Kilowog snarled as he stormed in. "Let's see how well you handle close quarters, girlie!"

Kara grinned as she lunged in and threw out her hands to create a battering ram to knock Kilowog back.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

"Another lovely day on Oa," Guy Gardner said as he chewed on his food. He stood out among the other Lanterns for a few reasons. One was his hair, orange-red with a bowl cut. The other was that his uniform was slightly different, black pants with a large white belt, his jacket buttoned up to show a turtleneck at his collar, the Lantern symbol a patch at his mid-section. "Surprised things calmed down so fast after the Sinestro Corps attack."

"I'll take that," Kyle Rayner replied. Like Guy, his outfit was different, almost all black with the green flowing from his midsection to shoulders. His Lantern symbol was on his heart while his handsome face was concealed by a plated mask, his short black hair showing. "I can use a bit of boredom after…." His voice faded as he looked down.

Guy sighed as he put his fork down. "Can't keep beating yourself up, Kyle. It wasn't you who killed Chance, it was Parallax. You always said we couldn't blame Jordan for what he did and he damn well wrecked the Corps. So don't blame yourself."

Kyle sighed and Guy could tell he understood with his head but not his heart. He couldn't really blame him of course. Being possessed by an entity of evil and used to attack his own fellow corpsmen was enough to give anyone a bout of depression. There was little Guy could do to help Kyle cope other than just give support.

The two were distracted by the doors to the mess hall bursting open. Two Lanterns stood, panting for breath. One looked human with tanned skin and hair cut to near baldness. The other had a head like a dinosaur with jagged teeth. "Hey!" the first, Vath Sarn, called out. "You gotta come see this!"

"It's Kilowog!" his partner, Isamot Kol, yelled. "He's getting into a fight with some new female recruit!"

Guy sniffed. "Ah, an example for the rookies, huh?"

"No, no!" Vath yelled. "She's kicking his ass!"

There was a long silence. Then, in a flurry of green, every single Lantern in the hall flew out the doors to race toward the training hall, leaving a whirlwind of fallen chairs and tables.

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"Fire in the hole!" Kara yelled as she pulled the trigger and let the massive cannon in her hands let out a ball of fire that knocked Kilowog back. The Lantern teacher gasped with pain, still amazed at how well this rookie was adapting to her ring's abilities. He fired a blast but Kara flew aside to dodge it, letting out a laugh as she spun in the air and fired again. Kilowog was able to block it but the impact of the blast made him lose his footing.

"Still think I'm all mouth?" Starbuck grinned as she flew up in the air. The feeling was exhilarating, the freedom to let loose without a Viper unlike anything she'd ever dreamed of. That fueled her power as she let the ring form a large blaster that railed nails of green down on Kilowog.

"Um, shouldn't we do something?" Kyle asked from the sidelines where almost every Lantern on Oa had gathered to watch the fight.

"I am," Guy grinned as he used his ring to form a quartet of cameras to record every angle of the fight.

Kara charged down, her fists brought together to form a wedge as she targeted Kilowog. The alien snarled as he flew up to meet her, both preparing to slam into each other.

Suddenly, a padded wall of green formed between the pair. Both figures slammed into the wall and bounced back, startled at its sudden appearance. They looked up to see a man in a Lantern uniform slowly lowering himself down. He appeared to be in his thirties, handsome with brown hair showing, a mask over his eyes. "What's the trouble here?" he demanded in a strong voice that carried assurance in every tone.

"Rookie's got a bug up her ass," Kilowog said. "I was just trying to teach her some manners."

"I'll teach you…" Kara moved in but the newcomer stood before her, his arms crossed at his chest. "Who the hell are you?" she snapped, ready to knock him aside, positive there was nothing he could say that could stop her.

"Hal Jordan. Green Lantern of Earth."

Except that.

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**So, opinions if I should continue? Thanks. **


	2. Lessons in Transit

Lighting the Path

By Michael Weyer

Lessons in Transit

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Kara stared at the brown-haired man hovering before her in shock at his words. "Earth?" she whispered. "You…you're from Earth?"

"Wait a minute," a red-skinned woman in the crowd blurted. "She has no idea what the Corps is but she's heard of that backwater planet?"

The man landed on his feet before Kara. "That's right, I'm from Earth. That means something to you?"

"Something?" Kara blurted. "It means everything! My people…we've been searching for you for years! The 13th tribe of Kobol!"

Hal frowned. "Kobol? Never heard of it."

Kara's astonishment grew. "You…but you must have! You're the descendants of humanity, you must know of the other 12 Tribes."

"First I've heard of it," Hal said. "Hmm….I think we need to talk more."

"Take a number, Jordan!" Kilowog snapped as he got to his feet. "Girle is gonna be my personal example to the recruits for the next…century!"

"Bring it on, ugly!" Kara snapped, hoisting her ring hand up. "I could use more practice with this thing!"

"Okay, take it easy," Kyle said, quickly moving in. He nodded to Kara. "Kyle Rayner. Me and Guy Gardner here are also from Earth."

Kara looked at the red-haired man with a frown. "But you don't know of Kobol? The other twelve tribes?"

Hal looked at her then to Kilowog. "I'm going to find out about this from her. I'll have her back soon."

Kilowog growled but finally nodded. "Fine." He turned slowly to glare at the Lanterns around him. "In that case…I'm gonna have a whole lot of aggression at work out!"

Expressions ranging from nervousness to outright terror broke out among the crowd as Kara realized she was the recipient of some rather ugly glares. Oddly, it actually made her feel at home.

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"And so we've been searching for Earth ever since," Kara finally finished her history of the conflict with the Cylons and the adventures of the _Galactica._ Hal, Kyle and Guy were sitting with her in a small garden, all enthralled by her amazing tale. Kyle and Hal had sympathetic expressions while Guy was quiet, his usual smugness pushed aside by the talk of mass genocide.

"And the ring found you," Hal nodded. He took a deep breath. "Well, ah, Captain Thrace…"

"Starbuck," Kara replied. "If you want to be nice about it."

Hal smiled at that. "Starbuck. I might as well be frank about this. We've never heard of Kobol or the other colonies of man."

"Yeah, only in the last few years we've been aware of life outside our solar system," Kyle added.

Kara frowned. "But you must know of the exodus from Kobol to settle on Earth."

"Lady, history was never my best subject," Guy inserted. "But I think I'd remember something like that."

"Plus," Hal said with a somber expression. "We've got clear evidence that life on Earth goes back millions upon millions of years. You said this exodus happened less than 3000 years ago?" At Kara's nod, Hal took a deep breath. "There are records of human civilizations on Earth that go back ten times that long."

At Kara's shocked expression, Hal felt sorry for her. This wasn't the first time he'd seen an alien discovering some of the tenets of their history and religion were proven wrong. The woman had already lost so much, Hal hated to have to throw this on top of it all but felt she should know off the bat.

Kara felt herself sitting down, her mind reeling. She'd never been a particularly religious purpose but like most everyone else, she believed in the history taught to every colonial since childhood. She'd also believed whole-heartedly that Earth was their salvation but now was learning it could destroy the very fabric of the colonial civilization.

"Frack," she muttered, rubbing her face. "This…isn't what I expected."

"The Corps usually isn't," Guy shrugged. "But hey, fun ride, specially for a great face like you."

Starbuck glared at him. "I will kick your ass if you leer at me one more time."

Kyle looked to Hal. "Listen, Hal, maybe her history's skewered. But she knows about Earth, somehow her civilization knows about it. Not to mention these are about 40,000 humans who've seen their entire civilization wiped out and need help."

"Forgetting these Cylon things, Kyle," Guy pointed out. "We help these guys out, we could be bringing a whole batch of murdering psycho robots down on us."

"Might be worth the risk," Kyle replied. "Come on, Guy, I just went through the Rann-Thangar War, I don't want to see any more innocent people die if I can help it."

"So, what, we just find this fleet of hers and lead him right to Earth on our own?" Guy scoffed. "Come on, the Guardians might not go along with it and let's not forget the UN will probably have a say in things."

Kyle paused. "You're right." He turned to Hal. "Me and Guy are still Oa-bound but you're the Lantern of the sector. It should be you who makes the decision."

Hal's brow furrowed in thought and Kara stood up. "Listen…I didn't ask for this, any of it." She held up her ring. "This found me, not the other way around. But if this can get me to Earth…well, the hell with all of you, I'll go back to the fleet and lead them to it."

"Whoa, whoa, firecracker," Guy quickly said, holding up his hands. "You may have gotten a good control on the ring for Kilowog but you're still a rookie, don't have your badge or anything. You even know where your fleet is right now?" At Kara's frown, he went on. "Trust me, hon, you bring a couple dozen ships into Earth orbit without any warning and it ain't gonna be pretty for either side."

Hal stepped to Kara. "Listen…give me a chance to talk to the Guardians. I can get you a probationary badge to come with me to Earth, you can present your case there. Just give me time, ok?" He put a hand on Kara's shoulder. "You can trust me."

Oddly, Kara instantly decided she could as the man had a confidence to his voice that would put either Adama to shame. She nodded as Hal backed up. "Okay. In the meantime, I think Kyle and Guy can help you out with the ring training, give Kilowog time to cool off." A green nimbus covered his body as he lifted upward and flew toward one of the large buildings of the area.

Kara watched him go and then looked to the other two men. "So…where do we start?"

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The sun was starting to set on the horizon as Kara finally sat back on the bench, taking a deep breath. It had been a long time since she'd been pushed to the physical limit like that but it felt worth it. Kyle and Guy had been spending the last few hours teaching her more of the ring, emphasizing how concentration and willpower were key to it all. They'd both seemed impressed at how quickly Kara was handling it but were able to point out some improvements she could make.

"Ya can't just make the shield right in front of you," Guy said as he pressed a beam of energy on the shield Kara was creating. The beam suddenly turned into a wave of tentacles that wrapped around the shield and covered a startled Kara. "I know the bubbles look dumb but they work."

"You want to do details on the creations, you can," Kyle said as he sat back, his ring flowing energy outward. Kara was busy blocking the attacks of a pair of horse-like creatures, each with solid horns at the center of their foreheads. "But don't go overboard with them. It's easier to just have the shape of an axe, you don't have to add on runes or patterns on the handle."

Kara sniffed. "You seem to throw that in."

Kyle shrugged. "I'm an artist, just comes naturally to me. That can help with the ring but I know it's tough making it work in battle."

"Me, I'm more about the brute power," Guy said and that came as no surprise to Kara. "You already know the ring can drain ya fast so a lot of times simpler is better."

Kara smiled as she held it to her face. "So much power…it's still a lot to take in."

"Don't let it overwhelm you," Kyle quickly said. "It's happened before and…it hasn't been good." He seemed to grow sad, hinting some dark past that Kara noticed.

"Yeah, Jordan can tell you that." The three turned to see a group of Lanterns nearby. The one who had spoken, a dark-skinned figure with black eyes and a horned forehead glared at the humans. "Or haven't you gotten to telling her that yet?"

"Watch it," Kyle said.

"Oh, you'd stick up for him, wouldn't you?" the alien scoffed. "That figures, you Parallax types would be on the same team."

"All right, that's it!" Guy snarled as he stepped forward and pointed at the group. "The next one of ya who makes a crack about two guys who are worth any ten of ya gets a month of science-cell patrol duty! And I'll make sure it's in Sinestro's wing!"

That seemed to quiet the group down, a few actually showing looks of utter fear at the mention of the word "Sinestro." They headed off, muttering among themselves as Kara turned to the men with a frown. "The hell was that about?"

Guy and Kyle looked at each other, obviously reluctant to speak. They were spared when Hal flew from above to land next to them. "Hey, I just spoke to the Guardians."

"And?" Kara quickly asked.

Hal moved to her. "They've agreed to let you accompany me to Earth. Consider it a training mission of sorts even though you're not yet a full Lantern."

"Sounds good," Guy nodded. He glanced to Kara. "You're in good hands, Thrace, Jordan's one of the best." He grinned. "Course, I'm _the_ best…" Kyle just rolled his eyes at that.

Hal smiled before going on. "Maybe seeing it in person can help your decisions, not to mention we can bring the Cylon threat up to the appropriate parties."

"The League?" Kyle asked.

Hal nodded. "They'd be the first to see the threat anyway and they can help deal with the world leaders."

"Leaders?" Kara frowned. "Um…shouldn't you just tell the leader of the central government and they can figure it out?"

The three men looked at her with bemusement and then at each other. "You've got a lot to lean about Earth, Starbuck," Kyle said in a tone that made Kara more than a little nervous.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

For the second time in as many days, Kara was flying through space without a Viper. This time, however, she was able to enjoy the experience more. It felt amazing to fly around with only the green nimbus protecting her. She held her arms forward, knowing it seemed odd to be aerodynamic when there was no air but it felt right nonetheless.

Hal was flying next to her with his own arms outstretched and spread out a bit. He looked to her with that reassuring smile. "You okay?" he said, his voice carrying a bit of an echo as it was transmitted through the twin force fields into Kara's ears.

"It's….a rush," she confessed.

Hal laughed. "I know how you feel. First thing I did when I got the ring was immediately start clocking air time."

Kara looked to him. "You're a pilot too?"

"United States Air Force," Hal answered with pride. Kara remembered his mentioning how the U.S. of A. was one of the major nations of Earth. "I was actually retired, a test pilot when a Lantern named Abin Sur crashed his ship on Earth. He was dying, sent the ring out to find a worthy candidate, it got me."

Kara was quiet for a moment before looking over to him. "On Oa…I heard some guys mentioning something about you." She saw Hal tense and knew he knew what was coming. "You and something called…Parallax."

Hal was quiet before sighing. "It's a long story."

Kara shrugged. "Hey, we've got a few light years to cover. Besides, you're my guide on Earth, might as well get to know you."

Silence reigned for a few moments before Hal took a breath. "I guess it all starts with Sinestro." Kara remembered the name Guy had mentioned. "He was one of the greatest Green Lanterns ever, a friend of Abin Sur's. He kept his sector perfectly ordered but wasn't afraid to challenge the Guardians from time to time. He helped in my training and seemed a good teacher." Hal's expression darkened. "That was until he took me on a tour of his home world and I discovered the truth."

"Truth?"

"The reason Sinestro's sector was so orderly was because he'd turned himself into the absolute dictator of his home planet. He was so obsessed with keeping control that he became the exact sort of threat we're supposed to be fighting. The Guardians stripped him of his ring and rank and expelled him." He sighed. "Naturally, Sinestro blamed me for it all as he, of course, couldn't possibly be at fault. He managed to get hold of a yellow power ring of his own to get revenge. We fought for years on and off and at one point they imprisoned him inside the Central Power Battery on Oa." His face darkened. "And that's when he met Parallax."

"Wait…was it a person or a thing?" Kara asked.

Hal bit his lip. "A bit of both." On Kara's stare he went on. "Parallax was a yellow creature who was the embodiment of pure fear. It rampaged the universe millennia ago before the Guardians managed to capture it and imprison it inside the Battery. It was because of that fear inside that the rings used to have an impurity that wouldn't let them work against yellow." A flash of anger came across his features even the mask couldn't hide. "Of course, it's not like the Guardians bothered to tell anyone that at any point over three million years. They figured it wouldn't be a bother to anyone at any point and just buried their secret."

Kara snorted. "That figures. No matter what species they are or how old, superiors can always be assholes."

That got a chuckle out of Hal. "Too true." He sobered. "Anyway, Sinestro found Parallax inside the Battery and figured out what it was. Somehow, they managed to broker some deal for their mutual benefit. Sinestro got revenge on the Corps and Parallax was set free."

"How?"

"To deal with a major attack on Oa, I entered the Battery to absorb its power," Hal explained. "I had no idea that Parallax managed to attach itself to me. It was more a force of energy at that point so it could hide inside me without detection. There were signs I should have noticed like the hair at my temples suddenly going gray." He brushed at them self-consciously. "But for the most part, it was just business as usual until…" His voice drifted off.

Kara moved herself closer to him as they flew. "Until?"

Hal's eyes were dark as he steeled himself to go on. "An alien warlord called Mongul came to Earth, working with a psychotic cyborg who was once astronaut Hank Henshaw. Together, they destroyed my hometown of Coast City. Eight million people wiped off the face of the Earth in less than a minute."

While it had happened some time ago, the pain was still evident on Hal's face. "I'm sorry," Kara softly said. "I know how you feel." Hal glanced at her, realizing she really did know how he felt given her own history. He gave a soft smile in reply before going on.

"In the shock of it all, I felt true fear and that let Parallax take over totally. It warped my mind, made me obsessed with trying to 'fix' everything. When the Guardians tried to stop me, I attacked them. I went on a rampage, leaving members of the Corps in space, stealing their rings. I…killed some friends, I thought I killed Sinestro. I went into the Central Battery and absorbed its power totally, leaving the entire Corps dead. Only one ring survived and made its way to Kyle who took over. Because he knew fear and with Parallax gone from the Battery, he could work his ring on yellow."

"And…you?" Kara carefully asked.

Hal forced himself to go on. "I still had no idea what really happened of course. I thought it was all me, even took the name Parallax for myself. I…tried to warp time itself, to make things right but it ended in disaster. I was turning my back on my legacy, seeming to destroy it all. But when this creature tried to eat Earth's sun….I guess it was enough to let my spirit overcome the fear and I sacrificed myself to relight the sun."

Kara blinked in confusion. "Wait…you're telling me…you…"

"Died?" Hal smirked. "You're going to find that to people like us, death isn't quite as permanent as it's supposed to be. My soul went to purgatory but when Earth was threatened by a rebellion in Hell, I managed to become the new host for the Spectre, that's the spirit of God's vengeance and…"

He realized Kara was no longer flying with him but hovering in space a few feet behind staring at him as if he had a second head. Hal paused his flight to look back at her and put on a warm smile. "I know, I know, I can't really believe it all myself. Okay, long story short…"

"Too late," Kara couldn't help muttering.

"I managed to come back alive and have been rebuilding the Corps ever since."

"And…Parallax?"

Hal's smile faded. "It was captured but escaped again. Sinestro managed to gain control and used it to infect Kyle. It was finally exorcised and spread out so it's not a threat anymore." He sighed. "I just wish it was so easy to erase what I did under its power."

Starbuck looked at him, trying to reconcile the image of the man before her with the idea of a power-mad killer and just couldn't do it. She'd learned the hard way how people had to change massively in times of stress of their own free will so could hardly begrudge Hal for what he'd done under influence. "We…better get going."

Hal nodded as they took off flying again. They remained silent for a while as they swept past solar systems, Kara taking it all in, shaken out of her reverie by her ring. **"Ring strength at 77.6%."**

She looked to Hal. "How much power do I have left?"

"Used to be you had to charge it every 24 hours," Hal told her. "It varies now depending on the wearer and how much you use. It should last a while though, I'll show you how when we reach Earth."

"How much further?"

Hal nodded to the cold and small sphere they passed. "That's Pluto, we're at the outermost edge of the system now."

"Moon or planet?"

"That's a good debate going on." They swept past other planets, Kara unable to resist flying through a ring of rocks surrounding one large globe. They raced over the edge of a large red planet and then…

"Oh my Gods," she whispered as she saw the large body before her. Somehow, she knew instantly what it was. It looked a lot like Caprica from above, Caprica as it had been before the attacks. The amount of ocean surprised her but the white clouds shone with the sun and she could make out the continents below, white caps at the northern and southern ends. Even the slew of satellites orbiting the globe could not mar the beauty of it. Kara actually felt tears form in her eyes behind the mask as she took in what every person in the fleet had been dreaming of for so long.

"Kara Thrace," Hal said with a broad smile. "Welcome to Earth."

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	3. Meeting the League

Lighting the Path

By Michael Weyer

Meeting the League

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"In. Fracking. Credible."

Starbuck couldn't keep the grin off her face as she followed Hal on the wide circle around Earth. Whatever she had dreamed, it was nothing like this. The sheer number of people was a lot to take in but the various types were completely unexpected. That so many different cultures could inhabit a single world seemed impossible and yet it worked.

There were troubling aspects of course. The massive pollution in the air was clear and the way people were cramped in the cities bothered her. Her flyovers of the major cities showed rather poor sections and homelessness, a state that resembled the worse sections of Caprica. She'd also been bothered by the conflicts they'd flown over in some nations, particularly the ones in what Hal told her was the Middle East. The technology was another issue. There were monorails and some other wondrous technologies. Hell, the most basic computers put the fleet's best to shame. But they were still running on massive amounts of automobiles instead of more advanced transport.

She knew the idea of nearly two hundred different governments to deal with would make Roslin's hair fall out. And the presence of so many super-powered humans (and non-humans) would throw people off too. But at the end of the day…it was still Earth. It was still what they had been dreaming of for so long and it was enough to make her head reel as she flew over it.

"What do you think?" Hal asked as they flew around a large statue of a woman in a robe holding up a torch. Hal called the city New York with the inflection that meant it was important.

"It's incredible," Kara breathed. "It's just so much…bigger than I expected in every way."

Hal smiled as he began to fly off, motioning Kara to follow. "I can give you another tour around the globe later. For now, I think it's time you met the League."

"The League?" Kara echoed as they flew over the nation at high speeds.

"The Justice League of America," Hal answered. "They're a team of super-heroes I helped form years ago. We've gone through a lot of changes in the roster over the years but we still stick around, doing our best to help the world out."

"They help run the world?"

Hal shook his head adamantly. "No. We know doing that will do more harm than good. We help with threats normal people can't. It's like Clark says, we're here to catch them if they fall."

Kara wanted to ask who Clark was but realized Hal was slowing down as they flew over a large city, a bit more spread out than New York. Kara noted the various monuments, from a long solid tower of white to a squat building marked by a huge statue of a seated man. Her eye was caught by the large domed building on top of a hill. "Someone had an interesting architect."

"Washington D.C.," Hal informed her. "Capitol of the United States. Some of the buildings here are decades old." He nodded to the one they were headed for. "Except that."

Kara looked ahead to see a building that was wide with the entrance marked by a wide arch. A fountain dominated the courtyard with a star-shaped sculpture in the center. "The Hall of Justice," Hal told Kara as they began to land. "The League had a base on the moon but it was destroyed a while back, we figured this would be a first good step."

"You meet here?"

"Actually, the real base is in orbit," Hal answered. "This acts as a meeting room and museum for tourists."

As they landed, Kara realized that there numerous people around in regular clothing, a couple taking pictures. She was struck by how a couple did seem impressed at the sight of them but others seemed utterly blasé at seeing two people in green uniforms flying down from the sky. She followed Hal as they approached a side entranceway and a beam of light swept over them. "Green Lantern Jordan and guest," Hal intoned.

After a pause, the door swung open to allow them entry. "Side hallway by the museum," Hal explained as they walked on. "Makes it easier to get to the meeting area." Kara was too busy looking out the one-way windows at the large rooms, seeing items of various types all around: guns of differing sizes and configurations; a huge number of hand weapons like axes and spears set on one wall; various weapons whose purpose Kara couldn't begin to explain; what looked like a star-shaped fish under a glass case; and several portraits of costumed people, a couple including Hal.

Her attention was caught by a flash as Hal opened a wide pair of doors before her. "Here we go," he said as he led Kara in. "There should be a full house since it's a weekly meeting, a pretty quiet day…"

The instincts of three years of constant battle warned Kara in time. Instinctively, she held up her ring and formed a shield just in time to block the two arrows that streaked right at her and Hal. The shafts broke in half as Kara was instantly on alert.

"Mine hit first," said a cocky young voice that belonged to one of the two men who stood before them. They were quite similar in many ways. They wore tight uniforms with a unique style, one red, the other green with domino masks. The green-garbed man appeared to be Hal's age, his chin marked with a yellow mustache and beard that ended in a sharp point, a green cap atop his blond hair. His companion was younger, her quite short red hair showing with no cap. Each held a bow in their hands that matched their outfit's color.

"Slowed by her presence," the blonde-haired man fired back.

"Come on, Ollie…"

"Day I can't hit a target that close by…"

"Was yesterday."

"I was affected by Joker gas, doesn't count and you know it."

Hal chuckled. "Nice to see you back on your feet, Ollie." He motioned to Kara. "Stand down, Starbuck."

"Starbuck?" the man called Ollie frowned as he swung his bow onto his shoulder. "No relation to Starro I'm hoping."

"Nope," Hal said. "Kara Thrace, say hello to Green Arrow and Red Arrow."

"Charmed," Green Arrow said as he reached over, took Kara's hand and kissed it. Despite herself, Kara had to smile at the man's obvious charm.

"Married now, Ollie," Red Arrow muttered.

"Doesn't mean I can't appreciate good sights, kid."

"And you'll be appreciating Hal's apartment if you try anything," said a blonde haired woman who stepped into the hall. She wore an outfit that resembled a single leotard over her athletic body although Kara could tell it was tougher than it looked. A leather jacket hung over her shoulders and her open legs were clad in fishnet stockings and high-heeled boots. She smiled to Kara. "Black Canary, current Chairwoman of the JLA. I assume you're the new Lantern Hal sent a message about?"

"Kara Thrace, Captain, Colonial Fleet," she introduced herself. "Call sign, Starbuck."

"Starbuck, huh?" Green Arrow grinned. "I like it."

"You would," spoke the man who was following Black Canary in. He was a bald black man clad in a blue and black outfit with a dark mask, the outfit streaked with yellow bolts up and down his arms and legs. "It's not like you thought too long on your name, Green Arrow."

"Says the guy who actually chose to call himself Black Lightning," Red Arrow retorted.

"Hey, when I started, I was the only one of us out there," the black man retorted. "Wanted people to know that."

Kara wanted to reply when a rush of wind brushed past her. In the space where there had been nothing was a man clad in a bright red uniform with an attacked cowl. Yellow lightning bolts were along his wrists and hips with yellow boots which, like his cowl, had small yellow wings at the sides. On his chest was a circle with a yellow lightning bolt. "Sorry, Abra Kadabra was trying to turn the Keystone Combine playoffs into a hell zone."

"Just like Barry," Green Arrow cracked. "Fastest man alive and still late."

The man nodded to Kara. "Oh, hi, I'm the Flash."

"The….are you kidding me?" she laughed.

The Flash just smiled. "Ah…a newbie, huh?" He winked and in…well, a flash…he vanished from sight. Kara was just feeling the wind blow back her hair when he was standing next to her again, holding a plate of steaming food. "Here you go. Straight from the best bakery in Paris."

Kara stared at him. "Paris…that's…in France? As in…Europe?" The Flash nodded as Kara looked to Hal. "I know I'm new around here but isn't that…um…on the other side of a fracking ocean?!"

"Yep."

Kara stared in astonishment at the Flash. "You…ran…across an ocean and back in five seconds?"

"Had to stop for the muffins."

Red Arrow rolled his eyes. "Geez, Wally, still doing the crazy stunts…"

Canary smiled to Kara. "Sorry about the abrupt introduction, Starbuck. We're just waiting for a couple more members before we begin the meeting."

Right on cue, the doors behind Kara opened and she turned to see a figure stride in. Kara Thrace was pretty much straight as the Arrow of Apollo but there was no denying it: This was hands down the single most beautiful woman she'd ever seen before. She was quite tall and athletic yet her body was toned in a way that would put that Number Six Cylon to shame. Her perfect face was framed by a lush mane of black hair, a golden tiara with a red star at the center at her forehead. She was clad in a rather skimpy outfit that resembled a bathing suit (back when people actually had pools), the bottom blue with white stars leading to a red top. A golden eagle was stretched along the woman's rather ample bosom. Her otherwise bare legs were clad in red boots and a golden lasso hung at her hip.

It wasn't just her beauty that hit Starbuck, however. There was a fascinating mix to this woman. Her face had a smile that could light up a room and instantly put Kara at ease. But there was something in her demeanor, the way she carried herself, that told Kara this woman knew the ways of a warrior. The mix made her an intriguing person, one Starbuck wanted to talk to in detail.

"Good to see you, Diana," Hal smiled. "Starbuck, this is Diana of Themyscira, better known to the world as Wonder Woman."

The name fit, Kara had to ackowledge that. She shook Diana's hand, feeling the strength of the grip that confirmed the power the woman had. "This looks like it will be an interesting meeting," Diana remarked. She led the way toward a nearby door. "We'd best get the others started."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

After all the high-tech furnishings she'd seen, Kara was a bit taken aback at how normal looking the main meeting room of the JLA was. It was a large round table that would fit in most everywhere, although the large projection machine at its center indicated it could show some sort of images. She was sitting at the far end with Hal, facing the rest of the members. Canary sat at the opposite end flanked by the two Arrows. There was a woman clad in a tight yellow and green uniform with a helmet over her entire head shaped like a bird. A mace was at her hip and an apparatus on her back was attached to a pair of wide feathered wings. Next to her was a young man with dark skin whose uniform was a mix of red and yellow with a white symbol on his chest. It took Kara a moment to realize that it wasn't a fancy helmet effect but his "hair" really was fire on top of his head. Another woman sat between the Flash and Red Arrow, black skinned in a nice orange outfit that went well with her outfit, straps crossing across her chest and around her neck with an odd pendant around her neck as well.

But the one who got her attention sat nearby. He was an imposing man of muscle, the chair seeming far too small to carry his weight properly. He was clad in a nearly solid blue suit with red boots and a long red cape. A shield emblem was on his chest, an "S" on gold. His face was handsome, the black hair marked by a spit curl at the front. But there was something about this man…something in the way he carried himself. There was power there but also confidence and an aura that reminded Kara a lot of Adama. She noted the way the others acted around her and realized something: Black Canary may have been the chairwoman but this Superman was someone every member of the JLA would gladly follow anywhere and listen to no matter what.

Kara noted it all even as she explained herself, giving them the history of the Colonies and the Cylon war to date. Superman's face seemed to tighten at the mention of an entire civilization wiped out which made Kara curious but she kept on until she had finished.

A long pause went up as the heroes took in her story. "Damn," Flash muttered. "And I thought Qurac had it rough."

"Sounds almost as bad as the Rann-Thangar War," the winged woman named Hawkgirl said which got a note from the colorful youth Kara believed had been named Firestorm.

"And you think that Earth is some sort of lost colony of your people?" Superman asked, his voice filled with warm concern.

"That what we always believed," Kara answered. "Of course, Hal's telling me that may not be true."

"I'm pretty sure Carter would have mentioned if one of his past lives had involved leaving another star system of humans," Hawkgirl added.

"Great, just what we needed," Green Arrow muttered. "Another debate on evolution to have the religious right up in arms."

"Putting that aside," Canary quickly said. "It sounds like we've got 40, 000 people who are looking for us for salvation. Which means we have a question before us."

Kara frowned. "What question? You have to help us! We've been looking for you for years, we've lost our homes, this is our best chance! You can't turn your backs on us!"

"We could."

The voice was as cold as ice in a tone so gravely it put Adama to utter shame. Whirling around, Kara saw a figure stepping out of the corner, flowing out of the shadows as if he belonged to them. He was a tall and athletic man clad in a black costume with a belt around his pouch. At his chest was an oval emblem with the shape of a wide-winged creature in it. A black cape billowed about him and his gauntlets were marked by what looked like wide spikes sticking out. A black cowl covered his head completely with two large points on it. His eyes peered through dark slits, narrowed right at Kara, sizing her up instantly as a possible threat. Kara wasn't much for being intimidated but she couldn't help but step back under the sheer darkness coming off this figure.

She wasn't the only one startled as Firestorm and Flash both jumped a bit at the man's sudden appearance. "Hats off once again to the guy who can scare the kids," Firestorm remarked.

"Batman," Canary announced in a careful voice. "We expected you to be on time."

"I've been here for the last hour," the caped figure said in a flat tone. "I thought I'd stay out of it until I knew just who this woman was."

"And now you know."

"I know what she's told us," Batman said, fixing a hard glare on Starbuck. "That doesn't mean it's true."

"She's a Green Lantern, Bruce," Hal said, crossing his arms as he stood up. "That means I vouch for her."

Batman gave him a cold glance. "Your recommendation doesn't carry a lot of weight, Jordan."

"Bruce," Superman said in a careful tone with just the slightest hint of impatience to it. "Captain Thrace here is a refugee. You heard her story."

"I did," Batman said. "I heard how her people are being chased by a murderous race of robots who are intent on wiping out humanity and you want to bring that battle right to us."

"Batman, they are desperate for help," Wonder Woman said. "I realize these Cylons are a danger but we can intercede for these humans. We can perhaps negotiate a peace of some sort with these Cylons…"

"Excuse me?!" Kara blurted. "Peace with the toasters? Are you fracking kidding me?"

"Hate to say it but the lady's got a point, Diana," Green Arrow said. "Hell, you know I'm not the "wipe 'em all and let God sort it out' type but these guys nuked twelve planets without even a declaration of war. I think they forfeited the peace accords a while ago."

"They're machines," Red Arrow added.

"Machines that have human bodies," Superman pointed out. "That makes it more difficult."

"Machines that her people created," Batman nodded to Starbuck. "They bear a lot of responsibility for what happened to them."

"Oh, yeah, you'd know nothing about seeing one of your creations go out of control, Bruce," Green Arrow sarcastically said. "And how are the OMACs again?"

Batman stiffened as an uncomfortable silence filled the room. Wonder Woman cut through the tension, leaning forward. "There are 40, 000 people who need help, Bruce."

"And that makes them different from the billions of other alien races who need aid?" Batman replied. "Why should we place them ahead of others?"

"We're human," Kara snapped at him.

"So you say."

"The ring scans her as human, Bruce," Hal fired back. "Why are you having a problem with this?"

"You're considering bringing 40,000 people from space to our planet," Batman snapped. "An entirely different culture, several differing religious viewpoints according to Thrace here, all of whom think we're some utopia salvation for them. You know the problems this will cause with the U.N.? Not to mention the impact on our planet."

"Come on!" Firestorm said. "It's only 40,000 people, that's smaller than my home town!"

"They're still aliens," Batman pressed. "You think the people can just accept that easily?"

"I can," Superman said as he rose.

Batman snorted. "You always look for the best, Clark, even when you know it's unlikely."

"I have more faith in the people, Bruce," Superman said. "But you are right in one regard. This is something bigger than just us. This effects the entire planet. We should get word of this to major world leaders so they can decide."

"What about the fleet?" Starbuck demanded. "They need help right now! We've got low supplies, fuel's always a problem, no telling how many attacks have happened…"

"I understand," Superman said in a careful tone. "But we don't make political decisions for this entire planet."

"As much as we may like to…"

"Oliver…"

"That's not to mention getting involved in an intergalactic war," Hawkgirl pointed out. "We don't know how serious a threat these Cylons could bring to us, especially if they look human."

"But most of these people are innocent civilians," Wonder Woman said. "They know of Earth, that proves a link of some sort. I think we need to know more about that."

"We can check into it," Superman said. "But for now, we need to put this before the world leaders to decide better."

"And just leave the fleet up there?" Kara snapped. "Just ignore us after the hell we've been through?"

"Captain, I understand how you feel…"

"The frack you do!" Kara snapped. "You don't know what it's like to lose your entire planet!"

Superman just stared at her as everyone else exchanged bemused looks. "We will help your people as best we can. But we have to look out for the best interests of our world as well." He stood up and moved to the doorway. "I can meet with the President myself and brief him, he can…"

"Do not turn your back on me!" Kara snarled as her ring flashed and a long beam extended an oversized pair of pliers to clamp onto the long red cloth hanging from the man's neck.

A collective gasp went through the room at the sight. Even Batman seemed thrown at it. "Oh my God," Firestorm whispered. "She just tugged on Superman's cape."

The man's head slowly craned toward Kara and the pilot had the uncomfortable feeling she'd just stepped into something horrible. She let the pliers dissipate into the air and backed up. "Sorry. It's just…we've been through so very much…"

Superman put a hand on her shoulder gently. "I know you have. And believe me, if it was up to just us, we'd go to help. But this is something that effects our entire planet, Kara. But you have my word, we will do our best."

Kara instantly decided she could believe this man. The way he said it with such utter certainty, it was impossible not to believe in him. The mood was hampered by Batman snorting. "You shouldn't make promises like that, Clark."

Wonder Woman quickly stepped in. "We should not make any immediate decisions now. Perhaps we should adjourn for now and table the discussion for another day."

"Fine," Batman said as he turned, his cape billowing about. "I have business in Gotham as well. Let me know if I should expect spaceships showing up above us."

"By Hera, Bruce…"

Kara's head whipped toward her, her jaw dropping open. "Did…you say Hera?"

Wonder Woman blinked. "Yes. I did, why?"

Kara licked her lips as she stepped forward. "Zeus. Apollo. Artemis. Any of those ring a bell?"

Wonder Woman's eyes widened in shock. "How do you know of the Gods?"

"Because they're our Gods too," Starbuck said.

Batman had paused, looking back as Wonder Woman glanced around the room before moving to Kara. "Come. I wish to talk to you in private." They moved away, Kara feeling another rush as a possible connection to this planet became clear.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**Didn't expect two chapters at once but this sequence called to me to get out. Next chapter begins Kara's one on one meetings with the Trinity of the DCU en route to more adventures. Thanks for the good reviews.**


	4. The Warrior of Peace

Lighting the Path

By Michael Weyer

**The Warrior of Peace**

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The room Wonder Woman brought Kara into was completely blank, the walls containing odd grids. As Kara frowned in confusion, Wonder Woman spoke up. "Paradise Island." There was a beeping sound and suddenly their surroundings changed.

Kara gasped as she found herself standing on a gassy plain with warm wind blowing in her face. She looked around, seeing groves of trees nearby with stone temples in the background. At her right was a crisp and clear ocean washing on the sandy beach nearby. "Where…are we?"

"Still in the Kitchen," Wonder Woman answered with a smile. "This is a holographic recreation of my home, Themyscira. We use this room to create places and situations for our training."

Kara rubbed at a tree, feeling its bark under her fingers. "It feels so real…" She glanced back at Wonder Woman. "The Kitchen?"

"If you can't stand the heat…" Diana smiled. "Old Earth saying."

"We have it too," Kara smiled back. Oddly, she felt quite at ease with this strange woman. Something about Diana's demeanor just made her feel trustworthy despite her regal bearing. Trying to keep focus, Kara glanced around. "Looks like a fun place to grow up."

"It had its moments," Diana smiled. "I was created here."

Kara frowned. "Created?"

Wonder Woman's smile remained. "My apologies, I forgot you're not from around here, you wouldn't know the story." She began to pace along the stone walkway with Kara following. "Millennia ago, the Gods created a sanctuary for the Amazons here upon this island. They stayed here, perfecting their skills at combat, remaining young and immortal."

"Sounds fun," Starbuck grinned.

"The sisters here did truly enjoy it," Wonder Woman confirmed. "Free of men and thus all the darkness of their ways."

"No men?" Kara sniffed. "Knew there had to be a catch."

Wonder Woman actually chuckled at that. "In time, Queen Hippolyta wished for a child and formed one out of clay. And so, with the blessing of the Gods, I came to be."

Starbuck had been through a lot in the last forty-eight hours but being told she was standing in front of a woman created out of mud was a bit much. Diana continued on. "I was taught here, trained in the Amazon ways until the Gods decided my destiny. I was to come to Man's World and try to teach the ways of peace."

Kara bit her lip. "Not to be offensive but, ah, doesn't seem to have taken."

Diana's smile faded. "Yes. I was…rather naive at first to how the outside world could be after spending my life on the island. It took a while to acclimate myself and realize human nature could not be changed." She plucked a leaf off a tree, examining it. "Perhaps the hardest lesson was one my mother and the rest of the Amazons could not predict: that the outside world was chaotic not because those in charge were male…but because they were human."

Kara frowned. "Is that supposed to be a lesson of some sort?"

Diana let out a small laugh. "Forgive me. I'm still trying to be a teacher." She paused at a stone bench, sitting down, removing her lasso to place by her. She turned to Kara. "For now, I think it's more important to know your connection to the Gods. What can you tell me?"

Kara took a breath. "I'm not exactly a religious person…well, I wasn't…But…" She launched into the best explanation she could of the pantheon the Colonials believed in, including the Scrolls, the prophecy of the arrow and her own experiences. Wonder Woman took it all in, frowning as she stroked her chin. "Hmmm…Very interesting."

"Do you think it means something?" Kara asked. "Maybe a connection to the Thirteenth Tribe?"

"I'm not certain of that," Wonder Woman said. "As Hal has no doubt explained, the origins of life on Earth extend far longer than your people believe. Our island alone has existed before this exodus you spoke of. Yet that a culture so far away can worship the same Gods seems so unlikely…"

"Hal mentioned there are a lot of religions on this world," Kara suggested.

Diana scoffed. "Hal has a tendency to underplay things. I should tell you that the Greek gods have long fallen out of worship by this world. There are many other faiths, each with their own beliefs in their own God and many of them have…difficulty accepting the others."

"God as in singular?" Kara frowned deeper. "Like the Cylons…"

Diana let out a sad sigh. "And like the Cylons, many will believe their 'god' has chosen them to commit mass murder in His name." She shook her head. "Human nature, Kara Thrace. It is something I have worked hard to understand…and yet I cannot fully comprehend it."

"Being an outsider makes it more difficult I imagine."

Diana nodded. "One of us, J'onn J'onzz…he is the last survivor of the planet Mars and has lived here for decades. He once said to me 'Some days I fear I will never understand humans. And some days I fear I will.' I hear those words quite often."

Kara's fingers fell on the lasso and she felt herself playing with the glowing rope. "I guess it's not much different with us. We've done a lot of things to survive…I've done a lot I'm not proud of. I've lied, I've killed and I don't mean in battle, I mean murder. I told Lee I loved him but went to Sam because I was afraid and I felt I owed him. I married him because I felt obligated, not because of love and…"

She started as she realized what she was doing. "The frack am I telling you all this for?"

Diana coughed. "Ah…the lasso." At Kara's frown, Diana took it back. "It has an enchantment by the goddess Athena that compels its wearer to always tell the truth."

Kara instinctively stepped back. "Geez, warn a girl…"

"My apologies," Diana said, meaning it. "I did not wish to make you uncomfortable." She looped the lasso back around her hip as she stood up. "I understand your feelings, Kara. While I was meant to be a messenger of peace, I am also an Amazon. We are trained for war. I have never wished to take a life but…" She sighed. "I know it must be done sometimes."

Kara frowned. "In battle, you mean?"

"Not just there…" Diana paused as if wrestling with herself to continue. She won the battle as she faced Kara. "Some time ago, an enemy was using his powers to control Superman's mind, making him attack his friends. I subdued him but the man said he could take control back anytime he wanted, as long as he lived, Superman would be used a weapon against those he loved." Diana looked Kara in the eye with a hardness that reminded the pilot more than ever of Roslin. "I did what I felt had to be done."

"You killed him." It was not an accusation, just a statement.

Diana nodded, her eyes growing soft. "Yes…I do not regret it. It had to be done. Bruce and Clark may not agree but the choice was clear to me."

Kara shrugged. "Sometimes you have to roll the hard six. I've done that a lot of times."

Diana sighed. "Yes but it hurt my standing as a symbol to people. Many still distrust me because of it and thus my message has been ignored. It's harder to be an advocate for peace when the world has seen you with blood on your hands."

Kara leaned forward, putting a hand to the woman's bare shoulder, surprised at the strength there. "Listen…I just arrived here but from what I can see this planet needs all the help it can get keeping itself going. Telling everyone to hold hands is all well and good but you have to be able to back up the actions." He smirked. "You can get further with a good word and a shotgun than you can with just a good word."

A snort got the two women's attention and they turned to see Batman step from behind a tree. The ebony cloak and costume stood out jarringly against the bright landscape, a blot of darkness in this paradise. "Spread peace but don't be afraid to bloody your knuckles doing it. Nice to see you're not the only one who subscribes to that hypocritical stance, Diana."

Wonder Woman stood with her hands on her hips, annoyed. "Bruce, I wanted a private talk with Kara."

"Privacy isn't an issue right now."

"When is it ever with you? Unless of course, it's your own secrets."

Batman ignored the comment. "I thought you'd be discussing her connection to Earth, not sharing philosophy."

"This wasn't an interrogation, Bruce."

"That I could tell." Batman's eyes flickered toward Kara. "Just because she's a Lantern doesn't make her trustworthy."

"Bruce, your bias against Hal…"

"It's not about Jordan," Batman snapped. "He'll be the first to tell you the Corps isn't perfect. And we still know nothing about her species."

"You prefer I use the lasso on her?" Diana demanded. "I'm trying to avoid that road, Bruce."

"Okay, no one is tying me up!" Kara declared. "Listen, you have your own issues, I don't care. I just want to get back and help the fleet to Earth."

Batman glared at her. "You do not go anywhere until we give the okay."

"Oh, really?" Kara stepped up to him, her ring glowing. "Last I checked, you don't have any authority over me, not as a person, not as a Lantern, sure as frack not as my boss. You want to make me stay?"

Batman's jaw set in a thin line as he shuffled slightly in his stance. "If I have to."

Kara glared at him, neither giving an inch. Neither saw Diana glancing behind her as Hal flew to join them. "Kara," he called out. "I think it's time we got going."

Kara kept her glare fixed on Batman for a few more moments before backing up. "Fine."

Hal glared at Batman as he landed to his feet and led Kara off. "I'll get her settled in Coast City for the time being, you can contact me there." His eyes narrowed behind his mask. "I'm hoping you make the right choice, Bruce."

"You know about right choices, Jordan?"

Hal's jaw set in anger before he marched away, Kara throwing a glare behind her shoulder as they left.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Superman let out a tired sigh. "Dammit, Bruce…And you wonder why we never let you get involved in politics."

"You should more," Batman said, standing at the far end of the table. "You need someone with a sensible mind."

"You mean suspicious," Black Canary snapped from her seat next to Superman.

"I prefer realistic," Batman replied. "At least I can see the problems bringing these Colonials in will create. The Amazon invasion is still fresh in people's minds; a fleet of aliens who worship the same Gods will only create more tensions."

"On that," the Flash spoke up. "Any idea exactly why these folks worship those guys?"

"There have been divisions in the Amazons before," Superman noted. "But to spread across the stars…"

Wonder Woman sighed. "I wish I could give an answer. The Gods have become more distant as of late so I cannot simply ask them."

"It could be an alien race using those identities," Batman mused. "Indeed, it could even be the same race as Diana's 'gods'."

An uncomfortable silence went up at that, all eyes flickering to Wonder Woman. It was not the first time Batman had raised his doubts in the authenticity of the deities and as always, Wonder Woman looked sternly at him but held her tongue. She had come to accept that Batman believed in what he could prove and thus magic was always something that annoyed him at best, angered him at worst.

"Um, does it really matter what they believe in?" Firestorm piped up nervously. "I think the real issue is what happens when they get here. And let's face it, Starbuck there doesn't strike me as the kind of woman who takes 'no' for an answer. She's bringing them here, one way or another so I think it's better we're prepared for them and the Cylons."

Everyone else stared at him, once more impressed at how the young hero had a better grasp of the situation than he sometimes seemed. Firestorm seemed sheepish as he backed in his chair. "Just a thought," he muttered.

Superman nodded. "I'll try to arrange a meeting with the President to discuss the situation. Hopefully, it can help defuse the military's suspicions so they don't open fire right away."

"What about Checkmate?" Green Arrow asked. "I don't trust those spy guys not to pull something to get their hands on alien tech."

"From what Starbuck described, it doesn't sound that much a risk," Black Canary said. "They still use phones, bullets, their FTL drive sounds interesting but still behind a lot technology wise."

"Seriously, they don't even have cell phones," Firestorm added.

"Yeah, Firestorm here has a rogue's gallery tougher than that," Flash chuckled.

"Oh, I'm sorry," the younger hero fired back. "Maybe I should try getting some bad guys with cool names like the Weather Wizard or Mirror Master or Captain Cold!"

"Anyway," Vixen quickly said. "Technology wise, we do have an advantage."

"Assuming she was telling the truth and not hiding their true power," Batman noted.

Superman shook his head. "I really hate it when you're like this, Bruce."

"I'm being safe, Clark. It's what's kept me alive for years." He turned and headed out the door without another word.

Canary sighed. "I hate to say it but he does raise a few points on how little we know about them."

"Hal can find out more," Green Arrow said. "He's got a way to open folks open."

He became aware of the looks everyone was giving him. "Aw, come on, you know I don't mean that way! So she's hot and she's cocky and she's a pilot and she's got a smart mouth and…."

He stopped to think about it and then blanched. "Ah, crap, they're doomed."


	5. The Dark Knight

Lighting the Path

By Michael Weyer

**The Dark Knight**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kara was seething still as she and Hal flew over the countryside of the United States. "How do you put up with that asshole?"

"I assume you mean Batman," Hal noted. "I know he comes off harsh but he's a good fighter, the most brilliant mind I've ever met and a damn good man."

"Yeah but he seems to hate your guts."

Hal shrugged. "John Stewart…that's another Lantern from Earth…he says Bruce never liked me because I was the only person who wasn't afraid of him. And without the fear, Batman's just a man in a costume."

"You believe that?"

"I believe that…as much as he'll never say stuff like it…Bruce had faith in me. And when it looked like I had fallen, he lost a lot of that faith." He shook his head. "He's always had his own pretty strict code, one that's hard for us to fathom."

Kara sniffed. "No excuse to be an asshole."

Hal just kept silent as the flew over what the ring had told Kara was California. _I'm really going to have to get an atlas_ she thought to herself as she and Hal came toward a large city overlooking a huge and gorgeous ocean. Seeing a sign, Kara frowned. "You told me Coast City was destroyed."

"It was," Hal confirmed. "My last act with the Spectre's power was rebuilding it all, exactly as it was before. It was empty for a while, folks a bit nervous due to what happened but it's seen a good rise in the last few months."

Kara could see he was right. She could see "Grand Opening" signs in practically every other shop they flew over and dozens of moving vans outside apartments and homes unloading things. She and Hal flew toward the top of one apartment tower, landing neatly on the balcony. As they entered, Hal's green glow shimmered, his uniform shifting into a pair of jeans, a dark shirt and a brown leather jacket. His mask vanished to show the rather handsome features underneath.

At Kara's stare, he smiled. "It's not that hard. Just concentrate on what you'd like to be wearing." Kara held up her ring and furrowed her brow. Her own uniform shimmered and then changed around her into her usual flight wear, sans helmet. Hal smiled as he took her in. "Pleasure to meet you, Captain Thrace."

Kara smirked back. "I can tell already you were the hotshot romancer on your base," she said. "Sorry but not quite leaning toward another crazy relationship."

"No problem," Hal smiled back. He motioned around the apartment. "This is a spare place I keep just in case. Fridge is fully stocked and I get cable."

Kara blinked. "Cable?"

"TV." Hal nodded to the set nearby. "Some DVD's too." He grinned. "I think you'll get a kick out of Star Wars." He reached into his pocket and flipped through it, frowning. "Damn, I gotta hit the ATM later." He pulled out some bills to hand to her. "Here you go, ring can give you a heads-up on how currency works, some places around to get a bite to eat."

Kara frowned. "You're leaving?"

"I have to get back to base," Hal told her. "It's only a few hours but do have to report to duty before my commander has to come down on me." He moved to a closet. "There is one thing I need to show you." He reached in and pulled out what looked like an ancient-styled lantern, completely green. "We have to recharge our rings using a battery," he explained as Kara came forward. "Just touch it and repeat after me."

Kara leaned in pressed the symbol on her ring against the main battery. Hal followed her and the object started to glow a bright green as energy flowed into the ring. Kara felt it fill her, the strength flowing as she repeated the words Hal spoke.

"_In brightest day, in darkest night….No evil shall escape my sight…Let those who worship evil's might…beware my power…__**Green Lantern's Light!"**_

Kara gasped as she pulled the ring back, feeling it charged fully with energy, a few green wisps floating about. She looked to Hal and frowned. "That's…a pretty crappy oath."

"I didn't write it," Hal said. "And it's served well for years." He headed to the door. "I'll check in later tonight. Don't go too far from the apartment."

"You know, I never got along with my mother, I don't need another one."

Hal just nodded as he left, leaving Kara to gaze around the apartment and take in the events of the last few days.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

One would think that after three years of mostly being stuck on a spaceship, a person would be thrilled to be on an alien world with a large city, multiple TV channels to watch and a great view of the ocean. Starbuck, however, was feeling cooped up within an hour.

She had flipped through the TV, amazed at the number of channels as she tried to digest what this meant for Earth. The shows she witnessed were unique, from a group of people who appeared to be eating worms for money to some show about people on an island with a smoke creature. She was a bit annoyed to see shows about groups of young people carrying on about their minor little problems while living in giant mansions. She flipped over to some sports channel, watching with interest a game that resembled pyramid, played on a much larger court and two baskets instead of zones.

She finally turned off the TV with a sigh and reached to chew the rest of her sandwich. This "tuna" wasn't bad and tasted like a delicacy after so long with ship food. But she felt out of sorts. It wasn't just the fact she was living in a style of luxury while the fleet was still out there. She was also thinking about what had happened before with that "Batman." The way he'd just dismissed her like that, it rankled Kara.

And when Kara Thrace was rankled, she usually had only one course of action to settle it. But seeing as how Hal apparently didn't keep any liquor in the apartment, that left her with another.

She held up her fist. "Ring?" It glowed in response. "Can you track down a person if I ask you?"

"**Ring is capable of searching for bio-signals."**

"Okay…find me Batman."

"**Searching…" **There was a pause as Kara felt a tingle in her mind, realizing the ring was actually accessing her mental images of Batman for the search. She felt a bit annoyed at it but put up with it as the ring emitted a slow pulse. **"Located."**

Kara stood up and headed toward the glass door leading to the balcony. She slid it open and stepped out, letting the ring's energy flow about her and form her uniform with mask. "Take me there."

On command, the ring pulled her upward and she leapt off the balcony, flying off at high speed away from Coast City.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It took exactly ten seconds for Kara to decide she never wanted to visit Gotham City again. That millions of humans lived in it boggled her.

The city was a mess of buildings with a bizarre style, jagged and pointed, more in tune with a nightmare than a metropolis. There seemed to be a tension in the streets and the air as if people were constantly walking on eggshells, afraid of something happening. It was an odd place to fly over and Kara was glad when the ring's tug led her out of the city limits. She flew past winding hills and a forest until she finally reached her destination.

The mansion was a huge affair, sprawling along the cliffs overlooking the ocean. It was an old-styled affair, mostly rock with a design far older than the buildings of the nearby city. Its huge yard boasted a large garden and a circular driveway the size of a pyramid court was before the front of the manor. Kara flew over the stone gate and slowly landed before the door. Her uniform shifted to regular clothes as she glanced about, a bit baffled at her surroundings. Nothing around her hinted at Batman at all but she trusted the ring.

Carefully, she reached to grab the large brass knocker on the door and slammed it a couple of times. She backed up as she glanced around, feeling a bit unsure now that she was actually here. Her musings were cut off as the door opened to show an elderly man with thinning hair slicked back, his face marked with a pencil thin mustache and a bland expression. He wore an immaculate grey suit with a tailed jacket and black shoes, his dark eyes running over Kara before speaking in a cultured accent. "May I help you?"

"Um, yeah," Kara said, now feeling uncertain about this approach. "I'm…kinda looking for somebody…"

The man looked behind her before raising an eyebrow. "Singer, actress or model?"

"Scuse me?" Kara frowned.

"I am ascertaining which field of employ Mister Wayne promised to help you in," the man said in the one of one who has had this conversation innumerable times. "I should inform you that whatever else he may have told you, Master Bruce has no real connections to the entertainment industry although I am sure that did not truly matter in your night together."

"Wait, wait," Kara said, holding up her hands. "It's not like that…"

"Ah, one of the escort service employees," the man nodded. "I suggest whatever failings Master Bruce had in your evening would be best taken up with your own employer. I do compliment you on evading the front gate but I must ask you to leave Wayne Manor.."

Kara slammed her hand on the door before he could close it, leaning in. "Listen…I'm here to find a guy who likes to wear a freaky outfit. If that's this 'Mister Wayne', fine. If not, tell me where to find the guy cause I want words with him."

The man frowned before his eyes fell on the ring on Kara's hand. They narrowed briefly before he backed up. "You may wait in the foyer while I contact Mister Wayne." He turned on his heel as Kara entered the lavish foyer. It was quite the mansion from what she could tell, classic style of wood paneling and decorations all around. Kara looked about, taking it in as the man stepped down a hall to a wall communicator.

"Master Bruce?"

"_Busy, Alfred."_

"There is a young woman here to see you, sir."

"_And you can't just brush her off?"_

"She is rather insistent sir. She also possess a…certain ring."

A pause went out.

"Sir?"

"_Tell her to leave."_

"Very well, sir."

A minute and thirty seconds expired before the communicator activated again. "Sir?"

"_Is she gone?"_

"Actually, sir, she is still insistent on seeing you. Her choice of words were baffling and yet reminded me quite a bit of my army days. Her final statement was, and I quote directly 'I spent weeks in a dirty hellhole surrounded by toasters, I can kick back in this frakking palace until your boss hauls his ass down to me.'"

Another pause went out before a tired sigh echoed. _"Send her down."_

"Very good, sir." The man headed back to the foyer, nodding to Kara. "If you'll follow me, Miss…"

"Thrace, Captain Kara Thrace," she answered as she walked to him.

"Alfred Pennyworth, Master Wayne's butler," the man answered as he walked at a clipped pace through the halls and to a large living room. Kara had expected him to lead her up the stairs to the upper level but instead, the butler paused before a large grandfather clock. He reached to adjust the minute and second hands and then gave a tug. The clock pulled away to reveal a large opening, a blast of cool and musky air coming out of it. "If you'll be good enough to follow," Alfred said as he headed down a set of stone steps.

Feeling more uncertain than ever, Kara followed him down the long and winding steps carved into the rock. Her eyes adjusted to the pitch darkness just in time for light to flood around her. She heard some screeching noises and looked up to see the ceiling covered with pointed rocks. Nestled among them were some small creatures the size of birds but black, their wings looking more like leather. They made their way across a stone bridge before finding themselves in a massive area filling a huge chamber.

"Frak me," Kara whispered as she took it in. There were several metal platforms built into the rock with staircases linking them. Looking down, Kara saw a river at the cave's bottom with a set of boats nearby. Another level just above held what seemed to be a massive garage, a dozen different cars there, each one with a unique sleeked design that mixed in wings in some way, each parked at an angle to let them exit a ramp way fast. Glancing up, Kara saw a pair of large jets and a helicopter suspended above with the bright lights illuminating the cavern.

As she followed, Alfred, Kara continued her visual tour, seeing a huge statue of a monstrous creature standing on hind legs at one end. Nearby was a huge copper disc with the image of a bearded man cast into it. Next to that were a set of glass tubes, each of which carried a costume, most variations of Batman's outfit although one seemed more tailored to a woman while another consisted of a red tunic, green shorts and yellow cape.

The central platform was the largest of the bunch, dominated by a huge computer display with multiple large monitors. Several were active, flipping through images of the city from various corners. One camera seemed stationed on a dark and brooding building with the word "Arkham" on a sign. In a large chair sat Batman, his cape flowed over the chair's back, his eyes intent under the mask as he glanced at the main monitor which showed photos of what appeared to be a murder scene.

Alfred stopped behind Kara, speaking in a calm tone. "May I get you some refreshment, Captain Thrace?"

"Um…don't suppose you got any good liquor around?" she asked.

Alfred frowned. "A tad early in the day for spirits."

"I'm on fleet time, still," Kara answered. "And never too early for a boost."

"I shall peruse the wine cellar," Alfred nodded as he backed away.

"Don't bother, Alfred, she won't be staying long," Batman snapped.

"Very well, sir," Alfred said as he began heading back toward the stairs. "I shall be upstairs if you need me and do hope any violence is kept to a minimum."

Kara watched him go before glancing around the cave again. "Kinda taking this 'bat' motif to the extreme, aren't you?"

Batman ignored her, focusing on the screen. "I don't appreciate people intruding on me," he said in a gravely tone. "Even Jordan understands that."

"Well, I'm not most people," Kara said, folding her arms. She studied him before sighing. "Listen, can you just take that stupid mask off? Talk to me like yourself?"

Batman craned his head toward her. "When this mask is on, I am myself."

Kara rolled her eyes. "Gods and they say I'm cracked."

"I'm in the middle of a quintuple homicide that could be the start of a new gang war," Batman snapped (Kara sensed snapping was his usual way of speaking). "So if you have a point to being here, make it fast."

Kara glared at him. "I want to know why you have such a problem helping my people out."

"I have a problem with you bringing your war to my world," Batman replied as he tapped some keys. "We've been through enough of those already, we don't need this one."

"So we have to just stay in space and get slaughtered?" Kara glared.

"It's a big universe," Batman said. "I'm sure you can find a place to settle. We can give you a few names of places."

Kara scoffed. "Right? Until the Cylons hunt us down again. Besides, Earth is supposed to be a new home for us."

"According to these prophecies," Batman grunted. "I never put stock in those. I believe in what I can see and prove."

"I can prove we need help," Kara pressed. "We all do. We're tired of running, we need to settle down and Earth can do that for us."

"At what cost?" Batman snapped. "You think the people of Earth will welcome you all with open arms? You've got a lot to learn about humanity, Thrace."

"So do you."

"Excuse me?"

Kara threw out her hands. "You live in an underground cavern, away from other people and throw yourself into some crazy war on crime. At least I have some human contact but from what Hal says, you try to avoid it."

"I don't like distractions," Batman said. "You should take that as a warning."

Kara rolled her eyes. "Please, quit the act."

That made Batman turn around in his chair to face her, a small look of surprise on his face. Kara went on, her voice growing strong. "You think you intimidate me? I've been through hell, pal. I've seen my home city nuked, I've battled Cylons in space and the ground, I've been held in a hospital where they had women plugged up to machines to make babies. I've been held prisoner by a psycho who rambled about my destiny and I have seen more good men and women die fighting these motherfrakkers than anyone has a right to. So if you think wearing some crappy outfit is going to scare me, you can forget it, asshole."

Batman simply stared at her, his face noncommittal. He turned back to face the screen. "We all have our problems, Thrace. Look up Earth history and you'll see examples. Right now, I have a policeman's widow and three children who lost a husband and father. They need me right now a hell of a lot more than a fleet with spaceships and high powered weapons." He turned back to the screen. "Tell Jordan the next time one of you Lanterns comes to my home uninvited is the last."

Kara stared at him, her jaw clenched, her fingers slowly coming together in a fist. "Don't try it," Batman said, his posture not changing an inch and yet Kara knew he'd be ready for any attack. She glared at him again before whirling on her heel and marching away.

She burst into the living room where Alfred sat at the huge dining table, polishing a row of silverware. "Your boss is a real bastard," she snapped.

"He elicits that reaction often," Alfred dryly stated.

Kara looked around, frowning. "He's got all this money and he uses it for…whatever he does?"

"He has his reasons," Alfred carefully said.

Kara looked at a wall where a painting of a middle-aged couple in fine clothing was shown. "Let me guess, his parents?" She scoffed. "They must be so proud seeing their son turn out to be such a cold, uncaring, selfish…"

The sound of silverware clattering threw her as she turned to see Alfred rising from his chair. The butler's face was almost as hard as his employer's as he glared at Kara. "Thomas and Martha Wayne," he began in an intense tone. "Were two of the finest, most noble, most loving people I have ever had the honor of knowing in my life. They were killed, in front of Master Bruce's eyes, by a petty thief, when he was eight years old."

Kara felt herself blanch. Even after all she'd seen, that struck her hard. "Oh."

Alfred sighed as he sat, his anger fading into regret. "There are times when I believe a great deal of Master Bruce died with them. He had no true childhood, no family aside from myself. I did my best to teach him but….it was too great an anger in him to mold in any direction but to strike out."

"So…" Kara breathed. "It's revenge."

"Revenge?" Alfred shook his head. "No. He does this because he does not want anyone to go through the pain he has." He looked to Kara. "He may strike you as cold-hearted, Captain Thrace. But as much as he will deny it, Master Bruce has a good heart. That is his problem. He is a good man dealing in utter darkness that would crush any spirit. He must be hard in order to survive. And the only thing he fears is that if he lets his emotions out, they will crush him utterly." He looked Kara over. "Somehow…I suspect you may relate to that."

Kara looked down. "Maybe."

Alfred paused. "If I may suggest, Captain…Perhaps if you spent some time in Gotham, you can understand better why Master Bruce is the way he is. His world is different than yours in many ways but you can at least try to experience it."

Kara looked at him considering. "Thanks for the advice, Alfred." She turned to head to the door. "Um…see you around?"

"An advance warning would be appreciated," Alfred stated. "If only to properly prepare." He watched as she left, placing the silverware down. He rose to his feet and made his way back down the stone steps to the main platform of the cave. "Master Bruce?"

"Is she gone?" Batman coolly said.

"Captain Thrace has departed but she made mention of perhaps touring the city," the butler replied.

Batman clicked some keys as he brought up a close-up of one of the bodies. "Ballistics matches the gun of Freddie Keyes."

"One of the Scarecrow's usual hirelings," Alfred noted.

Batman nodded. "I thought Crane had been too quiet lately. He must be planning to move some of his toxins to Star City and Office West interrupted the drop, someone lost their head and things went bad."

"Then Crane will go to ground?"

Batman rubbed his chin. "Or head out of town unless I find him fast."

"Perhaps Commissioner Gordon has new information," Alfred said. He paused a moment. "In regards to Captain Thrace, sir…May I be frank?"

"Have you ever gotten the impression I would want you otherwise, Alfred?" the Caped Crusader dryly asked.

"I believe, sir, that you are giving her what could be termed a raw deal."

"She's an alien, Alfred," Batman said. "She may be human but she still is from another world. Her race could bring mass chaos here."

"Yes for it is not as if an alien is regarded as this planet's greatest hero," Alfred dryly said. "Sir, this woman, from what you said, has been through an ordeal that would break most people to nothing but she still survives. Indeed, she thrives, she is strong and capable. While you have issues with Master Jordan, I know of your respect for those chosen by the Green Lanterns. If she has a ring, she must be worthy."

"It doesn't make her trustworthy, Alfred," Batman noted. "And it doesn't mean her people coming here won't bring trouble. Not to mention her attitude…"

"Ah, yes," Alfred said. "Hard-nosed, sarcastic, judgmental, difficult to relate to other people. I cannot imagine anyone with such an attitude as that."

Batman narrowed his eyes but kept silent as his oldest friend moved forward. "Master Bruce…Perhaps the reason you clash so much with Captain Thrace is much the same as your issues at times with Master Kent and Princess Diana. Which is that, in a way, you are much alike. She has been through the fire and been tempered by it, sir. I would think if nothing else, you would appreciate a kindred spirit."

He backed away and turned, starting to walk back up the stairs. He was heading up when Batman's voice echoed behind him. "How does it feel to always have the right answers, Alfred?"

"I strain daily under the burden, sir," the loyal servant replied as he headed up, leaving Batman alone to his thoughts.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**This ended up a bit longer than I had planned so Kara's Gotham adventures will be in the next chapter. **


	6. A Normal Night in Gotham

Lighting the Path

By Michael Weyer

**A Normal Night in Gotham**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kara's appraisal of Gotham wasn't changed much during her hours there. If anything, the setting sun seemed to make the city even darker somehow. The shadows of the buildings took on a sinister tone and there seemed to be a charge in the air. Kara could feel the people around her getting nervous at times as if expecting a massive storm coming. But others seemed oddly comforted, as if they knew somehow the night brought a measure of safety. It was an interesting dynamic that left Kara unsettled, reminding her far too much of life in the fleet.

She was at a small café, taking in the fresh air as she perused a newspaper. It was odd seeing the square edges and feeling the ink under her hands like old times. She flipped through it, taking in the views of Earth. Somehow, it felt like Caprica more than she expected with stories of corruption and a bit more violence than she liked. But then she'd read some stuff like how Superman saved an entire costal village from an exploding volcano or a team of heroes called the Titans stopping a riot in a city and Kara would think of how much promise this planet had. It made her more hopeful than ever the fleet would be saved if she could just find a way to get them here.

That good mental note lasted about as long before the screaming started.

Kara's instincts kicked in instantly as she whipped her head up. "Ring," she said under her breath. "Automatic protections up?"

"**Affirmative." **

Kara nodded as she rose to her feet. It had begun with one woman leaping up from her table and slapping at her clothes with her hands. "Off, off!" she was crying. "Get them off me!"

A waitress was rolling on the ground, yelling out for someone to douse her with water. An overweight man was gasping out as if having trouble breathing. A woman was holding out her baby as if she was terrified of it. Kara raced over in time to grab the child just as the woman was about to throw it. She set the crying infant down as she looked around. "What the hell is going on?!"

"**Analyzing…Toxic discovered in food and water of plates around this. Aerosol sprayed onto contents, hallucinogenic properties."**

"No shit," Kara muttered as she grabbed a man about to stab his ear with a knife. A smashing sound got her attention and she looked up to see a figure falling out of a window of the ten story building alongside the café. "Frak," she hissed as she saw two more figures fly out of windows as well. Her mind whirled as she raised her ring. Thinking fast, she fired a beam of energy to surround the entire building. It was a ring of soft energy, as soft as she could make it, forming a radius around the tower. She saw the falling figures land on it, sinking quickly on the soft surface. They appeared to be shaken but alive.

Kara let a sigh of relief as she kept the barrier up. She saw a woman nearby, a gorgeous brunette in a nice black mini-skirt and blouse, trying to hold a young blonde woman back. From the look in her eyes, Kara could see she was in charge of her faculties. "You! Can you try and keep these folks from killing themselves for a few minutes?"

"Do my best," the woman said in a strong voice. She grabbed a tablecloth, sending plates and silverware flying as she tore it to shreds. A heavyset waiter was passing by screaming and the woman dropped him with a single punch and in seconds bound his hands together.

Kara made a note to find out more of this woman later but was too busy keeping the large safety bag around the building. A mass of people were evacuating, many holding cloths over their faces for protection. The falls had ceased so Kara lowered the green bag to the ground. By this point, the howls of sirens had gotten through to her as she could see police cars and ambulances racing to the café. Several paramedics raced forward, checking on the people in the café as Kara let the safety net fade away as gently as she could.

She turned to see a pair of paramedics checking out a withering woman. "Get them off," she moaned. "Snakes…snakes, get them off me!"

"Shit," one of the men remarked. "Call the hospital, make sure they got plenty of fear antidote. Scarecrow's at it again."

Kara frowned at him. "Who?"

Ignoring her, another paramedic looked up at the sky. "Looks like he's already gotten word to the Comish." He nodded as several other people looked upward. Kara turned and gazed up to see the night sky illuminated by a bright spotlight extending from a building. Where it ended, it formed a bright circle with the dark shadow of a bat within it. Kara glanced around, seeing the brunette woman who'd been helping had vanished. She saw a couple of policemen approaching her cautiously and decided it was best to leave now.

She let her uniform flow around her as she took off to the skies. A couple of policemen yelled at her to stop but most were busy aiding the paramedics. She flew upward, looking toward the source of the signal. It was coming from a large building near the center of the city and Kara flew toward it. A large spotlight was beaming the signal up into the sky. Next to it stood a man who looked up at Kara startled but then gave her a short wave. Something in his demeanor made Kara decide to take a chance and she landed on the roof.

The man appeared to be in his 60's but quite fit, his face lined with white hair and a thick mustache. He was wearing a rumpled suit that looked like it had been slept in more than once and an overcoat over it. His demeanor was one of command and his eyes carried experience as he studied Kara. "One of those Green Lanterns, I take it," he said in a gruff voice.

"Call me Starbuck," Kara said. "I was nearby when a whole café of people started going nuts and saw this in the sky." She hiked a thumb toward the spotlight.

"Thanks for the help," the man said. "Jim Gordon, Commissioner of Gotham City Police. I've already gotten some preliminary reports of what happened. It might have been pretty nasty if you hadn't shown up."

"Someone there mentioned a scarecrow?"

Gordon's face darkened. "I should have known." Seeing the confused look on Kara's face, he went on. "Jonathan Crane. He was a professor of psychology but was fired for conducting illegal experiments on his students. Ever since, he's turned the world into his classroom, using various toxins to bring people's fears to life."

"Why?"

"Because he can." Seeing Kara's stare, Gordon made a sardonic smile. "I can tell you're new to Gotham. First rule of knowing this town: We attract the crazies."

"Jim."

The hard tone hissed through the night and Kara whirled to see the shadowy figure of Batman crouched on the edge of the roof. He straightened up as another figure appeared beside him. He was young, in his teens from what Kara could see, athletic with short dark hair. He was clad in a costume as well, red pants and shirt with green gloves and boots and dark green shorts. A yellow belt was around his waist with yellow patches running up the center of his torso. A cape billowed out behind him, dark green on the outside, yellow on the inside and his face was covered by a domino mask. At his heart was a patch of black with a large yellow "R" emblazoned at the center.

"Batman," Gordon said in greeting. "Robin. Good of you to come." He motioned to Kara. "This is…"

"We've met," Batman bluntly said, ignoring Kara. "Scarecrow?"

Gordon nodded. "He sent a message to us a half hour ago, a warning he had a new batch of fear toxin created. Looks like the café incident was to show it off. He wants fifty million in twelve hours or he starts setting off bombs of the stuff around the city."

"He's blackmailing you?" Kara was surprised. "Can't believe he'd go to such lengths."

"Even if he's paid, Crane will still set them off," Batman stated. "Nothing he'd like better than to see Gotham going mad for his benefit. He'd use the chaos to finalize his move to Star City."

"True," Gordon agreed. "We have to find him fast."

"We have a line on a couple of his old hoodlums," the teen called Robin spoke up in a surprisingly deep and strong voice. "We can start there."

"Need a hand?" Starbuck asked. "My ring can…"

"Let them see us coming from a mile away," Batman snapped at her. "We can handle this better."

Kara raised an eyebrow at him before turning to Gordon. "Listen, I don't want to step on toes here but I think you can use all the help you can get around here."

"Batman is capable of handling this," Gordon said.

"Maybe but I think you…" Kara turned only to discover Batman and Robin had vanished completely. She looked around, baffled at the empty rooftop and turned to Gordon. The man just shook his head. "Don't bother asking, I gave up figuring out how they do that years ago."

He moved over to the signal, gazing upward. Kara watched him for a moment. "Do you know who he really is?"

Gordon shook his head. "It doesn't matter to me who he is. What matters is where he is when we need him."

"You need a nutcase like that?"

Gordon looked at her sharply. "I don't know what it's like where you're from, Starbuck. But Gotham is a different city than others. I've done my best to clean up the department but corruption is still the rule in the city governments. And for some reason, the criminals we get are the types more interested in causing death and chaos than profit. It's not a normal town and we need someone like that to keep order."

"You trust him?"

"With my life and with this city." Gordon looked her over for a moment. "I have my faith in him and what he does. I won't tell you to get in his way. But…be careful." He turned to head toward a doorway.

"Hey!" Kara called after him. "Aren't you going to turn this off?" She nodded at the light.

He smiled at her. "I keep it on a while to keep the crooks on the street scared. You'd be amazed how far a little fear goes."

He headed out the door before Kara could point out the irony of his words to her.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It wasn't easy to find one person in a city this large, even one in such a wild outfit. Kara flew over a roof as she looked at the streets below. "Ring, you sure you can't detect him? You did before."

"**Unknown quality interfering with search attempts." **The ring actually sounded perturbed in a way which Kara would have found amusing at another time. She sighed as she looked about. "What about those chemical traces? Any chance of tracking them?"

"**Pollution content within city limits makes scanning difficult." **

"Great," Kara muttered. She paused as she saw a shadowy form on a nearby rooftop and headed over there. Her eyes narrowed as she saw a figure leaning over the ledge of the building, staring downward. Kara coughed lightly. "Ah, don't suppose you know a guy in a bat costume, do you?"

The figure whirled around to face her. It was obviously a woman by how the tight black leather outfit accentuated every one of her sizeable curves. Her breasts were nice and round and quite eye catching but the rest of her was just as shapely, looking in better shape than most of the Marines back in the fleet. She was obviously athletic and somehow Kara knew she was pretty flexible as well from the way her legs bent slightly. Her eyes were covered in black goggles while a cowled mask covered her head with slightly pointed ears attached. At her hip was a coiled whip and her gloves ended in sharp pointed claws. What could be seen of her face was quite gorgeous with the lips turned up in a smile as she looked Kara over.

"Well, well," she said, her voice coming out literally as a purr. "I thought you spandex crowd types had to check in with the Bat before coming to his town."

"I don't play by the rules," Kara replied as she looked the woman over. "And just who are you supposed to be?"

The woman arched an eyebrow. ""New in town, huh? Well, love to give you the guided tour but kinda busy here. I'm sure you can find the local tourist board entertaining enough."

Kara peered at her as her ring glowed. "I can have you wrapped up before you could blink."

"Kinky but don't quite swing that way, despite what Poison Ivy would like."

"Selina." Both women turned to see Batman crouched on a nearby pipe, Robin behind him. The man's eyes were narrowed under his mask as he took in the other woman. "What are you doing here?"

"And hello to you too, lover," the woman named Selina purred at him. "Just saying hi to the new arrival in town, no law against that, is there?"

"And you would know all about what's against the law, Catwoman," Robin intoned.

"Catwoman?" Kara looked her over and then glanced at Batman. "Not a very imaginative bunch in this town, are you?"

Catwoman let out a laugh. "Oh, I like her."

"Selina," Batman hissed.

"Fine." Catwoman turned to him. "If you must know, same thing as you are, I'm looking for Crane."

"What'd he steal from you?" Robin asked.

Catwoman glared at him. "As a matter of fact, it's personal here. A friend of mine was at that café Scarecrow attacked, nearly stabbed herself out of fear of spiders." Kara narrowed her eyes as she realized this was the woman who'd helped her at the café. "I want a piece of him before you bring him in."

"You know where he is?" Batman asked.

"A kind word gets you further than just fists, dearie," Catwoman smirked. "He's hiding out in the west side warehouse district by the waterfront."

"Near the city reservoir," Robin said with alarm. "The perfect place to dump the toxin."

"We need to get there now," Batman said, reaching for a grapple device on his belt. Before he could, a green glow surrounded the four of them, lifting them in the air. Catwoman let out a whoop of surprise as they floated up. "Just give me directions," Kara said.

Batman glared at her. "You're too…"

Catwoman leaned to him. "Bruce," she whispered. "She wants to help. Sometimes you should let that happen, ok?"

He glared at her before looking to Kara. "Is there a way you can make us as unnoticed as possible? Or do you need to give Jordan a call?"

Kara bristled. "Ring, any way you can give us a…ah, cloaking shield?"

"**Affirmative." **There was a shimmer as light bent around them. Kara glanced at a window nearby to see their reflections fading out of sight. "Got it."

Batman nodded as Robin hiked a thumb behind him. "Just head over that way and we'll lead you there." Kara nodded back as she began to fly them over the city. She glanced at Batman, who had his arms crossed, cape folded around him as he stared outward. "Listen…" Kara began. "If you have a problem with Jordan, that's between you two. You don't have to extend it to me."

Batman just ignored her but Robin gave her a slight smile. "If he didn't think you were worth the help, you wouldn't be here."

Kara looked him over. "What's your story?"

"Complicated, like his," the teen answered her. "I made my choice a while ago to help him, I'm not apologizing for that."

Kara shrugged. She'd seen enough young men forced to grow up fast in war, it wasn't for her to judge this Robin now. "Turn left and land us in the alleyway just ahead," Batman suddenly spoke. While annoyed at being ordered like that, Kara complied, lifting the green shield around them.

Batman wasted no time, moving to a nearby wall as he unhooked a device from her belt. It resembled a pair of binoculars that he brought to the wall and looked through. "I count six at the center…Three more on ramps nearby…"

"And Crane in the middle." Batman jerked back to see Catwoman holding a similar device in her hands and looking through it. She smiled innocently at the scowl Batman had. "What? You think you're the only one who borrows stuff from Wayne Tech?"

"It's my company."

"Well, I know the owner quite well."

Kara peered over at Robin. He saw her look and gave her a small nod of confirmation. She rolled her eyes as she realized she was in the middle of a rather bizarre relationship spat. "We have a plan? I'm all for frontal assaults but your town, your call."

Batman gave her what almost seemed like a look of respect as he put the device away. "We need to get to Crane first before he can use the toxin. The rest are just cannon fodder."

"Give me a crack, I can take them all out fast," Kara said, her ring glowing.

"Non-lethal."

Kara glanced at him in surprise. "Huh? But it'd be easier with armed…"

"No. Killing." The intensity of his voice left no question Batman was being serious here. Kara was taken aback at the order but nodded. Batman moved to the side, reaching for his belt. "When I give the signal, go in and nab Crane."

Kara took a quick look up at the building. "Okay, what's the…" She started as she saw she was completely alone in the alley. "Great, the Cat does it too," she muttered.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Even before his turn to crime, the name "Scarecrow" fit Jonathan Crane perfectly. He was a tall man who was so thin he could hide behind a lampost. His wiry build gave him a twisted shape that fit well with the baggy and ragged brown outfit he wore, straw sticking out of his sleeves and collar. His face was covered with a burlap mask marked by a twisted smile sewn into the fabric, the eyeholes barely visible. A dark brown hat with straw completed the ensemble, a strange figure made odder by the professional way he wrote notes into a book in front of him. "Yes…yess, this can work quite nicely."

He looked up to where a trio of men were moving boxes into a large truck nearby. One lost his grip, moving quickly in order to catch the box. "Easy with that shit!" one of his compatriots said. "I don't wanna be throwing up seeing some crazy crap in my head!"

"Faster," Scarecrow commanded. "We need to be moving quickly."

"You don't think they'll pay the fifty million, boss?" one of the guards asked.

"One can dream, Mortimer but sadly the 'morality' of the city leaders will no doubt slow the process." Crane shrugged. "No matter. Releasing the toxin will be a good example for Star City when we move operations there. They'll be more willing to pay to avoid such disaster."

One thug sniffed. "He may get his kicks outta this but not much good for our bank accounts."

"Quiet, Charlie," another hoodlum snapped. "Crane may not be Joker-sized homicidal but he can do worse than just kill ya."

Crane was moving back to complete his notes when something caught his eye. He looked up as he saw a shadow seem to move at the catwalk. "Mortimer, Randolph, upstairs!" he called out. The thugs were all instantly on alert, hands going to guns as they looked upward. They moved about carefully, guns up, ready to fire at a moment's notice.

A whirling sound cut through the air as a long whip extended outward to wrap around Crane. He let out a gasp as he felt himself yanked backward and landing on the platform behind him. Catwoman leapt down, her claws flashing in front of his face. "Be glad I'm playing nice tonight," she hissed.

As usual, the sheer sight of the gorgeous woman in skintight leather was enough to throw men off a bit. That was enough time needed for a shadowy form to swing down from the rafters, a boot extended toward one of the guards on the catwalk. He flew backward, smashing into the man behind him, both tumbling down the steel steps.

"Shit, it's him, man! It's _him!"_ one man cried as he raised his gun. Another pushed his hand down. "Don't! You know what happens when you try to use a pistol on him? He'll hunt you down and make you eat the bullet!"

He turned and opened up with the machine gun in his hands. The bullets whipped upward but Batman was already moving, leaping off the catwalk and somersaulting to the ground. He landed in a roll, dashing behind some crates as the bullets flew about. "Careful, you idiots!" Crane gasped out as he struggled with the whip around him. "Hit the boxes with the vials and the toxin will be freed!"

"Good to know." At the strong female voice, a beam of green light illuminated the building. The goons all gasped as they raised their hands to their faces, blinded by it. Several beams formed around the boxes, protecting them from any stray bullets as Starbuck lowered herself into sight. Robin leapt out from hiding, his staff smashing into one thug's jaw and then knocking another's gun away. He ducked as two others tried firing at him but Batman was there to knock each of them back with a rapid-fire set of kicks and punches Starbuck could barely follow.

Catwoman rolled Scarecrow over as she adjusted the whip. "I really want to wrap this around your neck and pull, Crane. You have no idea the…" Her words were cut off as Crane tensed his wrist and a cloud of vapor sprayed from a glove into her face. Selina gasped as she fell back, shaking as the toxin took hold. Crane got to his feet, freeing himself from the whip.

"Oh, no, you don't!" Kara yelled as she flew downward, a fist extended. Crane reached a hand into his pockets to pull out a spray can of some sort. He aimed and fired it at Kara but at a command, a green mask covered her entire face. "Sorry, buddy," Kara spoke through it. "But I don't do fear." She launched a fist to smash into his face and was surprised at how easily the man went down in a heap.

Robin was there in an instant, a pair of cuffs encircling Crane's hands and another at his feet. "Good job," he spoke to Kara. "He's better off with you doing it instead of Batman."

The Dark Knight was at Selina's side, looking at her eyes as she shook and jerk. "She's almost unresponsive to stimuli," he said and his gruff tone couldn't conceal the concern in his voice. "We need to get her back to the Cave."

"I can faster than you," Kara said. Batman turned to her and stared, Kara returning his gaze without flinching. Finally, the man nodded and Kara let her ring cover Catwoman in a bubble before taking off.

Batman watched her go, concern in his eyes. Robin came up to put a hand to his shoulder. "She did good, Bruce. Don't blame yourself for Selina, it could have been worse without Starbuck."

Batman didn't reply but simply moved to secure the rest of the scene. Robin sighed, once more wishing his mentor could show more of that humanity in him from time to time.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

The cave was mostly quiet as Starbuck stood to the side, watching Alfred tend to Selina. Her mask was off revealing her beautiful features and lush dark hair, peaceful as she slept. Alfred checked the readouts of the medical scanner and the IV in her arm. "Fortunately, Professor Crane does not change the formula for his basic fear gas often," the butler said, a white lab coat over his tuxedo. "We are able to treat it quickly and she should recover with no ill effects."

Kara was quiet as she studied Catwoman. "He really cares for her, doesn't he?"

"He does," Alfred confirmed. "But Master Bruce will not it become as strong as it could be." He checked a readout. "That is the fear he keeps hidden, Captain. He fears losing those he cares about. It is why he tries to be remote and cold to everyone, to minimize that chance. But he fails to understand that not everything is his own fault."

"Burdens of command," Kara remarked.

"Indeed." Alfred looked to her. "There is no need for you to stay. Master Bruce shall return shortly and…I believe he will be more than willing to keep watch on Mistress Selina until she awakens."

Kara nodded. "Guess I should be getting back to Coast City to check in with Hal." She looked to Alfred. "Your boss doesn't strike me as the kind to say thanks so just tell him he's welcome anyway."

Alfred smiled. "Sadly, courtesy was a lesson I failed to ingrain into Master Bruce completely. But believe me, he is grateful for your aid."

Kara nodded to him before letting the green sheaf of light cover her. She flew outward the same way she came in through an underground cavern and out of the river. She flew over the city and paused, gazing at it once more, reflecting on how even for her, this was one pretty dark place. And it required a unique type of soldier to keep order.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**


	7. Meeting New Societies

Lighting the Path

By Michael Weyer

Meeting New Societies

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

It may not have been a Viper but Kara Thrace had to admit it felt fantastic being in the seat of a fighter again.

It had taken her little time to figure out how an F-16 worked as the basic controls were much like a Viper, albeit with more worries about air pressure and handling it in an atmosphere. Still, Kara was handling things well as she sent the fighter blasting over the California desert. She pulled the stick to the side to let it spin around, laughing at the exhilarating feeling going through her.

"_Easy,"_ Hal's voice came over the speakers in her helmet. _"These things are government property." _His own F-16 was just behind her, keeping up well with his own maneuvers.

"Ah, relax," Kara replied. "I'm used to handling hot flights."

"_Riiiight," _Hal sarcastically said. "_And just how many of those flights had actually safe landings?"_

"Probably about the same as you," Kara smirked as she yanked the stick back, banking her fighter into a high turn. Hal followed her as best he could, the two jets streaking into the sky. Kara grinned wildly as she saw the sky thin above her and heard the whine of protest from her engines. She expected Hal to protest and warn her but instead he kept right on her tail. After a few moments, Kara yanked the stick forward and to the side and the jet spun before flying back earthward.

"_Nice job,"_ Hal said, sounding impressed. "_Don't know too many pilots able to do that without burning out."_

"Present company excluded, I'm sure," Kara grinned as she let Hal take the lead. The two flew back over the desert and toward the airfield that sat comfortably in the middle of the landscape by a wide road. Kara set her teeth as she started the landing. It was a bit rougher than with a Viper on _Galactica_, rattling her teeth as she pulled back on the stick and engines and she felt a sigh of relief as she finally settled down. She followed Hal over to the large hangers at the side, finally letting her jet shut down.

She hopped out of the cockpit, pulling off her helmet, the flight suit a bit bulky on her. Hal was already out of his jet as the mechanic came up to him. He was an Asian-American (Kara thought that was the right term) with dark hair dressed in an orange outfit. He grinned toward Kara before glancing to Hal. "She must be from another planet if she's able to nearly outdo you in flying, Hal."

Hal smiled back at Thomas Kalmaku. His oldest friend was one of the first to discover Hal's secret identity and had been a loyal helper for years. He nodded to Hal as he extended a hand bearing the ring. "Here you go."

Kara stared in surprise as Hal slipped it on. "Wait…you weren't wearing your ring?"

"He never does when he flies a jet," Thomas told her. "He thinks it takes the edge off him."

"It does," Hal replied. "If I know it can save me, I can't go to the limits I need."

Thomas snorted. "Riiiight. And that served you so well when you got shot down over Russia and they held you captive in a terrorist camp for six months."

Kara's eyes widened. "Wait…you spent six months a prisoner?"

Hal sighed, not wanting to discuss it. "Yeah…JLA thought I was on a space mission, they didn't know until I managed to get out on my own. They all apologized except for Oliver who told me I should have just kept the ring on."

"Oliver's right, you're a frakking idiot."

Thomas laughed. "Oh, this one's a firecracker, Hal. Do I need to tell Cowgirl to worry?"

Just as Hal opened his mouth to fire back, a voice cut through the air. "…_Haaaaaal_….."

Frowning, he turned around to see a shimmer in the air. Thomas and Kara stared with him as a shape formed, blinking in and out like a poor TV picture. It appeared to be a man in his fifties, his hair a mix of blond and grey and a mask like Hal's covering his face. His body was clad in a bizarre uniform, green pants with red tunic, a yellow circle on the chest carrying the image of a green lantern. A cape billowed behind him, green on the inside, dark blue on the out with the collar forming a halo around his upper neck.

"Alan?" Hal gasped. The man appeared to be in pain, reaching out toward Hal, his words echoing. _"Just got enough energy…..send this…have to warn…"_ The image wavered and flickered before coming back. _"Keystone…Alchemy there…warn…Society…" _He let out a cry of pain, arching up as if struck and the image vanished.

"Alan? ALAN!" Hal called out, stepping forward too late. He lifted his ring. "Ring, can you trace that?"

"**Negative. Transmission clouded by unknown source."**

Hal cursed as he turned around. "Tom…" He stopped as he saw the mechanic holding up Hal's lantern, already ready. Hal accepted it putting his ring to it and beginning his oath.

Kara lifted her ring and with a thought her clothes transformed into her uniform. Hal had changed as well before seeing her. "You don't have to…"

"I'm under your care, remember?" Kara replied. "I just found out you have a habit of getting into trouble on your own. You can use some backup."

Hal nodded as he looked to Tom. "Cover for me?"

"You have to ask?" his friend grinned. "Go get 'em."

With a nod, Hal and Kara took over, flying fast over the desert, heading East. "Who was that?" Kara asked as they flew.

Hal's face was drawn. "Alan Scott. He was the first Green Lantern of Earth."

Kara frowned. "Wait…you told me you were the first Earthling the Guardians recruited."

"Alan's not one of the Corps," Hal explained. "He was an engineer in 1940 when a rival sabotaged a train bridge he built. In the wreckage, Alan found a piece of the Starheart, an artifact imbued with magics of other worlds which crashed on Earth years ago. Someone fashioned it into a green lantern and it was passed around until Alan managed to get it. He used it to fashion a ring and a costume to fight crime. His ring works much the same as ours except it has a weakness against wood. He joined up with the Justice Society of America, the first super-hero team and he works with them still today."

Kara's frown deepened. "Wait a minute…an engineer in 1940?" Her mind quickly adjusted to the Earth calendar. "He'd have to be pushing a hundred!"

"Hal and others of the JSA have gotten themselves into some…unique adventures over the years, been exposed to a lot of magics and energies that have slowed their aging down."

"So we need to see this JSA?"

Hal nodded, his face set. "And get Alan back. He helped me out a lot when I was starting out, showed me how to still be human despite the power of the ring. He felt hurt when I fell to Parallax and I still owe him."

Kara was struck by the emotion in Hal's voice, realizing there were layers to the man beyond his cocky fighter jock persona. She kept herself silent as they flew the length of the continent toward New York City.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kara found New York a pretty interesting sight. It looked like a cleaner version of Gotham, not as dark but also elements of that Metropolis place she'd seen on TV. It was a pretty bustling city at midday so she and Hal got several stares as they landed in front of a large brownstone building set on a side street. "Here we go," Hal said. "It may not be as fancy as the Hall of Justice but it suits them." He rang the bell and waited before the door opened to reveal an elderly lady, heavyset in her yellow dress with a smock, her curly white hair showing her face framed by a pair of glasses. "Oh, Hal, hello!"

"Hi, Ma Hunkel," Hal smiled at her. "Sorry to drop in unannounced but it's an emergency."

"When isn't it?" the woman sighed as she backed up to let them inside. Kara could see the entire floor resembled a museum with hundreds of displays around. It was like the Hall of Justice, photographs of costumed figures, weapons, devices and more. There were statues set up as well of various costumed heroes which Ma Hunkel was moving to dust off. "Flash is off on a training mission with some of the young ones but the rest of the team should be in the main meeting room."

"Thanks." Hal and Kara moved down the wide room before coming to a pair of metal doors which were partly open. Hal pushed them further as they entered a large meeting room dominated by a huge round table with a symbol carrying the letters "JSA" in the middle of it. There were almost a dozen people talking who all looked up as Hal and Kara entered. Kara noted that a few of them wore costumes much like the ones on the statues in the room before. She remembered Hal saying the JSA was a "traditional" team and decided to go with that.

"Hal? What are you doing here?" asked a black man who stepped up toward them. His face was marked by a strange covering in the shape of a T that obscured his features. He wore a dark grey jumpsuit with the jacket emblazoned with the words "Fair Play" on the sleeves. A pair of small spheres seemed to float around him. Behind him, a man was rising dressed in a black bodysuit with a mask covering his entire head, shaped like a cat, complete with nose and whiskers.

"It's about Alan, Mr. Terrific," Hal said.

"Alan?" The cat-man moved forward. "You know something? He's missed the last two meetings, no one's heard from him in days!"

Hal quickly raised his ring up and an image appeared, replaying the message Alan had given them. The heroes were all concerned, the cat figure shaking his head. "Dammit, Hal, what have you gotten yerself into this time?"

Hal nodded to Kara. "Oh, by the way, this is Kara Thrace. Kara, meet Mr. Terrific, Wildcat, Power Girl, Hourman, Liberty Belle, Dr. Mid-Nite, Stargirl, Cyclone and Sandman."

"Hi," Kara made a wave as she took them all in. She noticed how Hourman and Liberty Belle were pretty close together. He was clad in a mostly black suit with yellow across the midsection, red markings on his arm with a large gauntlet around his right wrist. He wore a black and yellow cap which covered his head in a hooded mask and around his neck was a small hourglass on a chain. Belle was a gorgeous blonde in blue boots, yellow pants and a blue shirt with a red and yellow cracked bell across her chest. A red mask covered her attractive features along with red gloves.

"Any idea where he was calling from?" Kara had to stare at Power Girl but she was certain she was far from the first. She wore a white leotard that left her legs bare before ending in red boots. A gold braid held a short red cape and her beautiful face was framed by a blonde pageboy cut not unlike the one Kara once had. What got her attention was the woman's quite bountiful chest and the fact that it had an open circle showing just enough of her bare breasts to skirt Earth's clothing laws.

Hal shook his head. "I couldn't get a trace."

"He looked to be in pain," Dr. Mid-Nite stated. He wore dark blue spandex pants and a red tunic with brown belts and pouches around his ankle and hip and gauntlets around his gloved hands. His dark blue cape included a hood covering his head with the symbol of a half-moon on the forehead. What looked like tinted green goggles covered his eyes. "Whoever did this to him must have a lot of power behind them."

"He mentioned Alchemy," Sand intoned, his voice muffled by the gas mask that covered his features completely. His body was in a long black coat that seemed to shuffle around him and a brown fedora sat atop the mask. "Could that be Dr. Alchemy?"

"Dr. Alchemy?" Cyclone sat up. The girl appeared to be only about 17, her face lined with freckles, clad in an oversized green shirt over a red t-shirt and long stockings, a pointed green hat atop her mane of long red hair. "But I thought he was in jail or maybe it was purgatory, isn't he dead or was that the first one, I thought for sure he was dead but it's hard to figure with them and are they in Central or Keystone, I keep mixing them up and…"

"Easy," Stargirl interrupted the babbling. She was the same age and when she spoke, Kara could see the flash of metal braces on her teeth. She had shoulder-length blonde hair, her athletic body clad a mostly blue body outfit that cut off above her knees, white stars covering the suit as a blue mask like Kara's own flowed from the uniform. Her red gloves were clutched around a long golden rod whose point shimmered with energy. "Sorry," she told Kara. "She tends to get a bit excited."

Hourman smiled softly before speaking. "We should try and contact Jay and the others, get more numbers before…." He broke off, gasping as he fell against the table, his body spasming. "Rick!" Belle cried out, holding him as he gasped for breath. "Are you okay?"

Hourman rose, looking shaken. "Just got a flash forward vision…One hour in the future…Keystone is in flames."

Everyone looked shaken at that as Hal shook his head. "We can't wait to contact the rest. Jay might get here fast but not the others. We need to get to Keystone now."

"And then what?" Wildcat asked. "It's a big town and we don't even know what we're looking for."

"Darkness," a deep voice cut through the air. "The darkness of the ancient times."

Everyone spun around to see a figure standing at the steps at the far end of the room. He was clad in a dark blue shirt with white shirt and a blue cloak flowing behind him. A wide-brimmed blue hat cast the upper part of his face in shadow, the collar of the cape reaching to his ears and held by a golden thread. Hanging from his neck was a golden disk on a chain and white gloves covered his hands. As he stepped forward, Kara realized that no matter where he moved, the light never shone upon his face.

"Oh, great," Wildcat muttered. "Just what we needed, one of the Trenchcoat Brigade to show up."

As befitting his name, the origins of the Phantom Stranger were shrouded in mystery. Some said he was an angel who'd refused to take sides during Lucifer's rebellion and was cast out. Others claimed he was the Wandering Jew, the merchant who had persecuted Christ upon the cross and been condemned to walk the Earth until His return. A few believed he was a nobleman who committed suicide and was caught between heaven and hell. And still others insisted he was just a souped-up magician who made himself seem more powerful than he was. What was known for sure was that his presence always meant serious danger.

"Stranger," Terrific said. "What are you doing here?"

"To enlist your aid," the Stranger said, his voice calm but eerie at the same time. "A dark event is unfolding, one that can bring a great power back to Earth. One that in the wrong hands shall bring ruin. Alan Scott is at the heart of it, along with Dr. Alchemy."

"What is it?" Power Girl pressed. "What's happening?"

"A power is about to be unleashed," the cloaked man said. "Alan Scott is one key, Alchemy another. When the time comes, they will be used to open the keystone and unleash shadows upon the world."

"Shadows?" Kara frowned. "What kind?"

"I cannot tell more," the Stranger replied. "I can only bring you there. What occurs next is up to you."

"You want to drop us off in the middle of a hot zone with no intel?" Kara pressed. "We need a lot more than just cryptic words here."

The Stranger turned to her and despite the fact she couldn't see his eyes, Kara shivered under his gaze, feeling like he was peering right into her soul. "Kara Thrace. Your presence shall be required above all. What happens here will effect your path."

"Geez, will ya can the mystery man crap?" Wildcat spat. "Just tell us what the deal is!"

The Stranger backed up, opening his cloak. "I have said as much as I can. If you wish to save Alan Scott and Keystone, not to mention the world entire, you must leave now." His cloak seemed to widen, growing and Kara could feel wind blowing through the other side. "Hal?" she spoke up. "I'll back you up but I think this is a bad idea."

"Might be," Hal noted as he stepped forward, his ring forming a shield around him. "But it's Alan."

"Damn straight," Wildcat said, stepping forward and cracking his knuckles. "Enough jawing, let's get to it." He stepped forward behind Hal and the rest of the JSA soon followed him. Terrific paused to send one of his spheres to the side. "Leaving a message behind in case Jay gets back and can help."

Power Girl moved to the front. "Hal, Kara, you two have the rings shielding us just in case." The two complied as they stepped forward and into the cloak. Kara felt like she was entering a freezer, chilling her in and out. The light of the rings was the only illumination as the heroes found themselves walking forward.

"I hate magic," Wildcat muttered. "No matter what kind, I hate it."

Kara was up at the front by Power Girl, glancing at the woman's costume once more. "Got something to say?"

Kara smiled. "You must not have to buy your own drinks a lot."

Power Girl smiled at her. "Nine times out of ten, the sight of me is enough to let me land a few punches on a guy."

"Gotta remember that," Kara noted. "But don't think the Corps would appreciate me changing the outfit."

"Don't strike me as the kind of person who lets others tell her what to do."

Kara grinned, feeling herself liking this woman. "So you from around here?"

"Earth?" Power Girl shook her head. "No. It's…a complicated story."

"Better save it then," Kara replied. "Got more than enough of those in my head as is." She sighed. "Sorry, still getting used to the place."

"I know how it feels to be a stranger here," Power Girl responded. "Some days, I wonder if I'll ever find my right path."

Kara glanced at her with surprise. "Huh. Maybe we got a lot more in common than I expected. If it's not too much, what's your name?"

The other blonde smiled. "Kara."

Starbuck raised an eyebrow. "If my husband was here, he'd be blowing his mind about now at us together."

Power Girl seemed ready to speak when the darkness suddenly vanished. The group started but were instantly alert as they took in their surroundings. They were inside a huge dark cavern lit by working lights strung about. There signs of digging all around them with some equipment strewn about in various places.

"Where are we?" Kara asked.

Sand was holding a large fun in one hand, a grapple hook poking out of one of its twin barrels as he put his hand to the ground. "We're about two hundred feet below the heart of Keystone," he said. "And there's something….something else here….some kind of power source."

Mr. Terrific frowned as he gazed at one of his spheres. "My t-spheres can't read it."

"Keep telling ya to redo those things for magic, Michael," Wildcat said.

"There's no such thing as magic, Ted," Terrific replied. "It's just a vastly different science."

Hourman rolled his eyes. "Geez, Michael, I was raised in science too but I'm not denying all the stuff I've seen and the fact science can't explain everything."

"No time to talk," Hal said as he lifted his ring. It glowed as a beam of light swept around the cavern. It moved back, pointing toward a pathway. "Alan is this way." He lifted himself up and began to fly in that direction.

"Hal, hold up!" Power Girl began to fly after him at high speed. Stargirl raised her rod which lifted her up to follow. Kara felt a wind rushing about and saw Cyclone floating atop a whirlwind she seemed to be controlling herself. "Dammit," Terrific muttered. "Sand, better scout ahead."

With a nod, Sand melted into the ground in a cloud of dust. Shrugging that odd sight off, Kara quickly formed a platform with her ring under the rest of the JSA. "Hang on," she said as she flew after the others, making sure they were able to stay steady. She turned the corner and nearly ran into the others who were standing and staring at the sight before them.

The chamber was huge and round with a giant pit dug at its center. Before it was a long stone column that rose nearly to the ceiling thirty feet above. Tied to the column with tight chains were two figures. Kara recognized one as Alan Scott while the other was a small man dressed in blue robes and a green hood, both men looking the worse for wear.

"Alan!" Hal called out, stepping forward but Kara grabbed his arm. "Whoa, whoa," she said. "Easy, Hal, this thing screams of a trap."

"She's right," Sand said as he appeared behind them. "Those power readings I felt are coming from that pit and whatever it is, it's not good."

Scott's head rose up as he opened his bleary eyes to see them. "Hal?" he croaked out. "Wha….what are…I warned you….get away…"

"We're here to help, Alan," Hal said. "What is this? Who captured you? What's going on?"

"Questions, questions, questions," a voice that sounded like ice cubes poured onto a metal sheet spoke out. "You costumed simpletons always have nothing but questions."

Everyone spun around, their weapons ready to face the figure standing before them. Despite what she'd been through in the last few weeks, Kara had to stare in disbelief at the tall man in a blood red suit with yellow shirt and tie, red gloves and a yellow kerchief sticking out of his lapel. What threw Kara was the fact the man had no head. Instead there was a red mask floating a few inches over his collar, its eyeholes glowing with a burning energy.

The JSA appeared jarred at the sight of the man. _"Johnny Sorrow!" _Sand gasped through his mask.

"Long time, no see, all," the man said with a chuckle that sent shivers down Kara's spine. "Come, come, did you really think me destroyed forever? I've been rather busy but I believe it's high time to finally take my place on the stage."

Wildcat snorted. "Geez, still the ham actor, Sorrow."

Sorrow glared at him. "Believe me, Wildcat, you'll be respecting my position soon enough."

"Okay, enough of this crap," Kara said, lunging forward and throwing out her fist. Her ring fired a beam of light aimed right at Sorrow but it passed through the man as if he wasn't there. "The frak?"

"He's intangible," Hourman told her. "He can only become solid when he chooses or if he removes his mask and you don't want that."

"Heard the expression 'face that can stop a clock?'" Dr. Mid-Nite said. "His can give Big Ben conniptions. One look can kill you."

"I'd listen to the lad if I were you," Sorrow stated, crossing his arms. "As for my purpose here, Green Lantern and the good Doctor are…aiding me in obtaining something I want."

"Which is?" Hal asked. He knew Sorrow's type well. The man had once been a silent movie star before the coming of talkies ruined his career. He'd turned to crime to keep into the limelight where a fight with the JSA caused him to be transformed into the other-dimensional madman he was now. But at heart, the man still lusted for attention and couldn't resist performing.

Sorrow's mask remained blank but his voice took on a smile. "Did you ever think that more than one piece of the Starheart landed upon Earth? It's taken me a long time to track it down but I finally managed to gain the resources needed. However, to properly call upon it, I required aid." He waved a glove toward the two captives. "One who has know the power of the Starheart already. And one who knows the ways of dark magic." He lowered the hand. "Properly attuned, they will call the artifact to me….and then with their blood, I shall unleash its power and the world will tremble."

"You know, if your kind talked less and did more, you'd probably have ruled the world a long time ago," Kara dryly remarked.

Sorrow laughed. "Ah, a spitfire, this one! A shame the pleasures of the flesh are denied me."

"Yeah, I'm feeling the pain," Kara sarcastically said.

Wildcat moved forward. "One problem with that idea, Sorrow. We're gonna be taking Alan and heading out. You wanna keep that nutcase Alchemy though, go ahead."

"You can't hit us," Kara said with a smile. "And it's just one of you and all of us."

Sorrow chuckled. "Ah and what makes you think I came here alone?" He threw out his hands and a flash of light came from behind him. When it faded, a group of people could be seen standing next to him:

A man whose skin was not just blue but appeared to be actually ice, clad in a suit of the same color, the air turning to clouds around him.

A highly athletic woman in a yellow leotard with black gashes like a tiger, a crossbow in her hands and a black tattoo over her left eye.

A huge seven foot tall monster with white skin and hair in tattered clothing, his face scowling.

A figure that looked like he was made entirely of wood, his arms massive branches and his face looking like it had a hood and a beard of leaves.

A green costume wearing man with a bee-like mask and huge wings helping him float.

A man in an expensive black suit with cloak, his goateed face marked in a wicked grin as he held a cane in his hands.

A teenager Courtney's age with dark hair streaked with white, clad in a green and red outfit armed with a set of knives.

A well-muscled man with short blonde hair wearing a green uniform whose circle bore a symbol much like a twisted cross which Kara remembered had been important in a place called Germany a while back.

Finally, what looked like a white suit with top hat, cape and cane standing with no sign of a body, a monocle hanging below the hat as if on its own.

"Tried…to warn…" Alan gasped.

"Ah, crap," Wildcat muttered. "Alan wasn't telling ya to warn the Justice Society, Hal….He was trying to warn ya about the _In_justice Society."

Sorrow pointed at the JSA. "As much as I enjoy an audience, I'm taking no chances. Kill them quickly so we can get on with this."

Seeing the pack of men who looked ready to rip her apart limb from limb, Kara Thrace did the only thing she could think of in a situation like this.

She smiled and got ready to throw the first punch.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**For those wondering, the Society members here are, in order: Icicle, Tigress, Solomon Grundy, Blackbriar Thorn, Killer Wasp, the Wizard, Shiv, Captain Nazi and Gentlemen Ghost.**

**Next chapter brings a fight with some surprise entries and a big twist for Kara's journey that pays off on this build-up.**


	8. Rogues, Rocks and a Return

**Lighting the Path**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Rogues, Rocks and a Return**

**I know, a surprise to have a new chapter up so soon but hit by inspiration to get this out before I head out of town for a few days. All comments welcomed.**

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kara lifted her ring to form a shield just in time to block the pair of massive white fists coming at her. "Born on a Monday!" Grundy grunted as he swung down again. Kara hissed out as she backed up, doing her best to keep the shield going as the undead swamp creature smashed his fists down again and again.

Hourman pressed a button on the forearm of his sleeve to release the dosage of Miraclo kept inside. He shivered as he felt the drug take hold, his muscles bulging as they grew. He glanced down to see the timer on his forearm begin to count down, marking how much time he had until the Miraclo ran out. For the next fifty-nine minutes and forty-nine seconds, he had the strength of ten men. Against Solomon Grundy, that might be barely enough.

He hurled himself out, pounding on Grundy's back. The monster grunted as he swept an arm to smack him aside. That let Kara smash the shield forward to hit him in the face, knocking him backward. Power Girl rushed in to hit him with a punch that would have taken the head off a normal man. For Grundy, however, it barely fazed him as he came at the two women.

Nearby, Shiv swung her twin blades at Stargirl, who nimbly dodged them. "I was hoping to get a crack at you!" she hissed. "I owe you for my father!"

"I didn't kill your father, Cindy!" Stargirl snapped at the former high school queen. "He died in his own scheme to try and take over the world!"

"Because of you!" Shiv screamed as she lunged forward. Stargirl used her staff to fly upward out of her grasp. Before she could attack, she was suddenly tackled by Killer Wasp who punched her in the jaw.

"Cyclone, gimmie a lift!" Wildcat snapped. The teen quickly complied, causing a whirlwind to whip up under his feet. Wildcat rode it upward and then leapt out to launch a punch at Wasp's jaw. "Big man fighting kids!" he snarled. "That's always your way, huh, Wasp?"

They landed hard, Wasp getting to his feet before lifting himself up, letting out a blast of energy from his gauntlets Wildcat dodged. "Think I'm dumb enough to let you get me in close, old man?" he snapped.

Wildcat snarled as he got to his feet. "Tell ya what. Tell me what happened to Jake and I might just break one of yer limbs." The first of two sons Ted Grant had fathered over the years, the boy had been abducted by one of Ted's old enemies, the Yellow Wasp. The mad scientist wanted the boy to replace his own son, who'd been mutated by the man's experiments into Killer Wasp. Wasp had admitted in the past to killing his father and stealing Jake but refused to tell what he'd done with them. From the wicked grin under his mask, he wasn't about to change that as he fired another blast.

Icicle threw out his hand, the air in front of him condensing under his power into a set of icy daggers that flew toward Sand. The man's body shifted, the daggers passing right through him as he moved to the side. "You don't have to do this, Cameron," he intoned.

"Save the speech, Sandy," the second-generation villain spat. "I made my choice a long time ago."

"You can't trust Sorrow. He doesn't care about any of you, he just wants to cause chaos."

"Hey, better to be with the slaughterer than getting slaughtered," Icicle replied as he suddenly fired a blast at the ground. Sand was caught by surprise as his feet froze in place. Icicle moved in and Sand fired his grapple gun, the ice man just avoiding the long rope and hook. Sand put a hand to the wall and let himself flow into it to escape the icy hold.

Hal found his path blocked by a giant wooden arm as Blackbriar Thorn approached him. Claiming to be a 2000 year old druid, the man's face was tight as he threw a hand out, the arm elongating into a giant wooden fist. "Defeated one Green Lantern already, I have," he growled in a rumbling voice. "Tis fine to take another down!"

"You did that to Alan?" Hal set his jaw. "Good to know." His ring formed a giant buzz saw that sliced through the wooden arm, causing Thorn to howl in agony.

Nearby, Terrific and Mid-Nite were doing their best to handle the assault of Captain Nazi. The super-strong supremacist seemed to be taking personal pleasure in trying to smash the former man. "Your name is a joke! As if any jungle savage can be called 'Terrific'!"

To his credit, Terrific kept calm as he dodged the blow. "We 'jungle savages' were carving out civilizations before your ancestors could crawl out of their mudholes," he spat out.

"I agree the man's attitude is uncouth," the Wizard announced as he floated toward them. "But one must need the brawn to balance out we brains." He pointed with his cane as a blast of dark energy flowed toward Dr. Mid-Nite, covering him completely. The Wizard smirked as he lowered himself, moving in only to have Mid-Nite's fist erupt from the cloud to blast him in the jaw. The Wizard gasped as he held his jaw. "How…the Shadows of Sarando should have left you blinded!"

"I live in a dark apartment," Mid-Nite smirked. It amazed him how word hadn't gotten out more about the fact he was actually blind, able to only see in certain spectrums of light. With the aid of the goggles, darkness was no problem to him at all.

Floating above the battleground, the Gentleman Ghost moved to where Sorrow also floated near the stone column. "Looks like a bit of complications here," he said, his accent an odd mix of the Englishman he'd been born as and the years spent in the Southern U.S. before his death a century earlier.

"Just a minor annoyance," Sorrow replied. "Take over for Wizard, I need him up here to get the spell prepared."

The Ghost nodded as he flowed down. Kara saw him and fired a blast from her ring but it just passed right through the man. "Okay, that's just cheating!" she yelled out.

Tigress and Liberty Belle were fighting, the villainess trying to stab down with her dagger. Belle was pushing it back as best she could. Nearby, Rick and Power Girl were doing their best to handle Grundy, the monster snarling and shrugging off their blows. Kara was having a hard time figuring out who to hit but was able to get a shield up to avoid the blast of chilling wind Icicle sent in her direction. Hal was nearby, still battling Thorn, the druid's body contorting and growing to lash out with branches as sharp as razors. Kara moved to help him, her ring forming an axe to chop at the branches. She saw the Wizard floating upward to join with Sorrow. "Is that bad?"

Hal saw them and cursed. "Dammit….We need to get up there!"

"Well, if you think calling time-out will help, go ahead!" Kara snapped. Above, Cyclone was trying to use her winds on Gentleman Ghost but the man simply stood there, chuckling as they flowed through him.

Tigress kicked Belle in the face, sending her back stunned. The woman grabbed a knife from her boot and moved in, her face contorted. "All this trouble for Scott, I get. But Alchemy? Why bother saving him? Guy's a pathetic jackal."

Without warning, a wide gash erupted across her left arm. Tigress shrieked as she grabbed it, seeing a blur of motion by her. She whipped her head around to see something fly toward the far end of the chamber. It was caught in a gloved hand, revealing it to be a boomerang, its razor-sharp edges gleaming in the light.

The young man holding it appeared to be in his twenties, his hair short with a goatee matching its brown color. He wore light blue pants and a darker blue jacket, a white scarf around his neck. Along both the jacket and his belt were more boomerangs of various sizes. "One thing you oughta know about jackals, lady," he called out. "We take care after our own!"

Both the JSA and the Injustice Society stopped their fighting to turn and look at the area by the stairs. A handful of figures stood there in various costumes and weapons, each looking hard and tough. At their lead was a man dressed in a thick blue outfit with white fur around the collar, sleeves, waist, upper chest and hood. An odd pair of blue glasses covered his eyes, only slits to let him see and a strange gun was held in one hand. He was aiming it up toward Sorrow as he spoke. "You're gonna want to let Alchemy go now."

"Who the hell…?" Kara started.

"The Rogues," Power Girl groaned as she got up from where Grundy had punched her down. "A bunch of crooks the Flash has fought for years. Damn guys actually got themselves unionized here in Keystone."

Sorrow's eyes seemed to narrow as he gazed at the figures below. "This doesn't concern you, Captain Cold."

"Keystone's our town, Sorrow," Cold shot back. "And you never asked to pull some job here."

"More important is that you got Alchemy," the Weather Wizard said. He was clad in a green spandex suit with a raised collar and yellow streaks on the front. In his hands, his wand crackled with lightning ready to unleash. "He may be a nutcase but he's still a Rogue."

"And you mess with one Rogue," Heatwave declared, holding up his miniature flamethrower, his eyes glowering behind his orange goggles, his body clad in a thick tan protective outfit. "You gotta take us _all_ on!"

He pulled the trigger and a blast of flame leapt outward to strike Blackbriar Thorn. The druid howled in agony as the intense fire ripped up his body, flopping backward and rolling on the ground. The smell was a twisted mix of flesh and wood as he tried in vain to put his body out. Behind his goggles, Heatwave's eyes gleamed and his face was twisted in a smile as he savored the sight of the wooden creature burning.

Icicle snarled as he moved toward Cold. "I've been wanting to put you on ice for a long time, Smart."

Cold sniffed. "I gave up those stupid puns years ago, kid." He fired his gun, a blast of chilling air ripping outward toward Icicle. The other man yelped at it hit him but the blast of ice seemed to just add to his strength as he charged forward. Heatwave snap-aimed and fired a blast at him that drove him back, yelling out at the intense heat that even his icy shell could barely handle.

Weather Wizard held up his wand and the air seemed charged with electricity as lightning bolts struck the earth before Icicle, knocking him back. Next to the Wizard, Owen Harper, the second Captain Boomerang, hurled one of his weapons out. It hit Solomon Grundy in the chest and detonated a high-grade explosive that caused the monster to howl in pain.

The Wizard tried to ignore the battle, drawing his energies to cast the spells Sorrow wanted. He was interrupted by a blast of energy and whirled around to see Abra Kadabra floating up toward him. The man was clad in a futuristic suit and cape, his face marked with a sharp black goatee and mustache and a curl to his black hair. "Ah, ah, ah," he said. "I believe there's room for only one showman here."

The Wizard fired a bolt from his wand but Kadbra merely waved his hand and it transformed into a bird. "Please," the man scoffed. "To one from the 64th century, these are parlor tricks."

Gentleman Ghost began to float upward only to have a shimmering wave come before him. "What in…" he began before it swept around him. With a start, he found himself encased in a pane of glass. He pounded on it, surprised he couldn't simply phase through it. His gaze fell upon a man clad in a unique orange outfit with green helmet and shoulder coverings, a gun in his hands. "Hope ye enjoy being solid as anyone else for a change, Ghostie," the Mirror Master said in his thick Scottish brogue. "Should take ye a while to get yerself back."

Shiv was heading forward when an object whipped through the air. She found herself bound by what looked to be streamers of confetti only they were as tight as leather around her. A cackling laugh had her looking up as Axel Walker floated above her. The second man to take on the name of the Trickster, the teenage sociopath wore baggy striped yellow pants and blue and orange striped shirt with a long blue coat, a blue mask over his eyes as his punk blonde haircut gave him a hard edge. He giggled as he lashed out with one of the blue anti-gravity boots he wore to kick Shiv in the face.

"Okay, exactly who am I supposed to be hitting here?" Kara demanded as the JSA watched the fight unfold.

"Don't argue with it, girlie, just let them beat each other's brains out!" Wildcat said with a grin. "Damn, shoulda brought popcorn."

"We've got a chance to get to Alan now," Hal said.

"Provided we can get past Sorrow," Mid-Nite pointed out.

The Wizard ducked to avoid a fireball and rose up to see Sorrow floating above. The man was holding something in his hands, a green ring that resembled Hal and Kara's, only the lantern insignia was larger. "Get up here!" he hissed. "I need you to use the ring and gather the Starheart!"

Icicle fired a mini blizzard at Kadbra, driving the man back with a cry, his cape covered in snow as he tried to protect himself. Using the opportunity, the Wizard floated to where Sorrow was, his mouth already reciting a spell.

"Stop the Wizard!" Kara yelled out, getting ready to fly upward. A massive whirlwind came from nowhere, sending her spinning about. Weather Wizard glared as her hovered on the winds. "This is our fight, heroes. Stay out of it."

Cyclone set her teeth and concentrated and the whirlwinds suddenly reversed direction to hit Weather Wizard dead on. He yelled in surprise as he twisted about, trying to correct his descent. Meanwhile, Killer Wasp let out a cry as a boomerang sliced through one of his wings, sending him crashing to the ground. Tigress fired an arrow from the mini-crossbow on her wrist but in a blur of super-speed, Captain Boomerang dodged it before hurling another of his weapons out. Solomon Grundy let out a bellow as he started to charge at Heatwave. Before he could reach far, a beam of blue-white struck him, freezing him in place. Grundy tried to move forward but Cold's beam was too strong, his body turning to an icy statue.

"One plate of Grundy cubes coming right up!" the Trickster yelled as he threw out a yo-yo, striking the frozen form. It instantly shattered into a thousand pieces spreading about as the yo-yo returned to the Trickster's hand. He giggled as Captain Nazi lunged at the Mirror Master. His hand smashed into the costumed helmet but instead of hitting flesh, it seemed to sink into the man's image. Another Mirror Master appeared to shove Nazi into the reflection, the man yelling out in agony as he merged with the second Master. Mirror Master smiled as he shattered his reflection, Nazi's howls of agony echoing through the cavern.

"Will you idiots quit getting in the way and stop them!" Belle howled out, pointing toward the Wizard and Sorrow. The black-garbed man had just finished reciting his words when he reached Sorrow. He raised his cane and a slew of energy flew around him, surrounding he, Sorrow and the two prisoners on top of the column. Instantly the air in the chamber became charged as bolts of light struck Alan and Alchemy. The two howled in agony as light flew into the large pit at the center of the chamber.

"What the hell-----" Heatwave began.

Kadbra appeared alarmed at the sight. "They're harnessing the energy below us…they're trying to wrest the Starheart from its hiding place!"

"You know about that?" Hal called out over the growing wind.

"Who do you think hid it here?" Kadbra stated. "That artifact is too powerful for even I to properly harness. There's no way Sorrow and Wizard can get it out safely! They'll unleash energies that will rip Keystone apart!"

The rest of the Injustice Society seemed to understand things were getting dangerous as they moved toward the column. Overhead, Sorrow laughed as he held Alan's ring. "Yesss…yessss…." he hissed watching as the energies from below flowed into it. "It's coming…"

"Ah, Len?" Weather Wizard called out over the wind. "I'm all for sticking up for one of us but this is getting big-time JLA magic crap territory."

"You heard Kadbra," Cold shot back. "No Keystone is gonna make things hot for us."

Kara was gazing at Sorrow and how he held the ring, trying to figure some strategy…

_Sorrow was holding the ring. _

She glanced at the others. "Sorrow's solid without the mask, right?"

Power Girl nodded, confused at first but then realized what Kara was talking about. "Yeaaah….It might work. Michael?"

Mr. Terrific nodded. "We did it before with Mid-Nite recording his face. But this time we can go one better…"

Above, Sorrow was cackling as he circled in the air, holding the ring up higher. "Ah, yes. The irony of it all, Green Lantern…that your own weapon shall be my conduit to ultimate power. Once I have the Starheart, I will use it to…"

"Blah, blah, frakking blah," Kara's voice cut through as a pair of glowing green hands locked themselves onto Sorrow's mask. Before he realized it, it was yanked upward, a bright glow emitting as Kara floated behind him. Fortunately for the Wizard, his eyes were closed in concentration and thus was spared Sorrow's horrific visage. Before the man could realize what was happening, a green helmet slammed around the top of his body as the mask was placed into a green box.

"Pretty good," Hal said as he used his own ring to wrap Sorrow up into a green straightjacket. "Alan and Kyle pulled this on Sorrow once before so we should be able to handle it now."

The Wizard realized something was wrong, his eyes opening just in time to catch the massive green fist Kara slammed into his face. He yelled as he flew back, smashing into the wall. As he did, the energies of the pit suddenly ripped outward in flows of red and pink, raking the walls. "Ah, that can't be good," Kara muttered.

Hal was using his ring to cut the bonds holding the two men to the column. He caught Alan in his hands as Alchemy fell, caught at the last moment by Weather Wizard. Kara was pulling Sorrow down as the cavern began to rumble. "What the hell is this?"

"Without the Wizard's guidance, the energies are being let loose," Kadbra declared. He glanced at Cold who nodded and turned to a nearby wall. He fired a beam from his gun to form a massive wall of ice, enough so the reflections of the Rogues could clearly be seen. Mirror Master moved to it, merging with his own reflection and the rest of the Rogues followed quickly, Weather Wizard still holding Alchemy's body. "Sorry, all," Cold declared. "But we got what we came for, no sense risking our necks anymore. This is your job now."

"You miserable little…" Power Girl began.

"Just business, darling," the man returned.

"Cold, you son of a bitch!" Icicle yelled. "Don't you think about leaving us!" The surviving members of the Injustice Society had gathered by the Wizard. With a smirk and a mocking salute, Cold entered the reflection. As the heroes watched, the Rogues' reflections seemed to run away before vanishing.

Tigress was kneeling by Wizard, slapping his face. "Come on, come on, we need an escape here!"

"What about Sorrow?" Shiv asked, wincing as she held her wounded arm.

"Every man for himself here, hon!" Killer Wasp called out. The Wizard let out a soft moan as he opened his eyes to see the Tigress grabbing him. "No time, don't care where, just get us out now!"

The man rasped a word and in a flash of light, the villains vanished. The JSA were more concerned with the growing blast of dark energy ripping out from the pit, bolts raking the ceiling. Mr. Terrific looked at one of his spheres and winced. "The energy output is growing fast!" he called over the noise. "At this rate, it's going to let loose in a matter of minutes!"

"Any chance we can just put a cap on these thing?" Wildcat asked.

"That'll just increase the explosive power," Terrific said. "Even Hal and Kara's rings might not be able to hold it in long."

"What about…mine?" Everyone turned to see Alan getting to his feet, his ring in his hand. "It's based on the Starheart…same energy….Maybe I can be able to control it...Drive it back."

Terrific paused to think about it. "It might…maybe if Alan and Kara were able to block some of it off…But we'd still need a stopgap of some sort, something to leech some of that power off."

Sand's eyes fell on the green-wrapped figure nearby. "Like perhaps…a multi-dimensional being who's able to unleash power with a gaze?"

Everyone looked over toward Sorrow and a set of smiles came about. Kara used her ring to float Sorrow to face the mirrored wall still remaining on the cavern. "Everyone look away!" she yelled as she closed her eyes and turned her head. The rest of the JSA followed, a few also covering their eyes. Even Mid-Nite didn't want to take another chance with Sorrow. Concentrating, Kara let the upper half of the green straitjacket to melt away.

Any doubts she had to its effect were done away with as an agonizing scream ripped through the chamber as Sorrow bore witness to his own hideous face. Even through her closed eyes, she could see the blinding glow and felt the air of the chamber become even more charged. A force flew past her like a wild wind and she could swear she felt it screaming as it did. The light finally faded as did the cry as the wind seemed to slacken a bit.

"It's okay," Mid-Nite called out. "He's gone." Everyone opened their eyes to see that Sorrow was indeed gone. The pit was still sending out energy but it appeared to no longer be as wild. Instead, a solid tunnel of light was firing upward, cutting through the ceiling and Kara could see daylight at the far end as well as hear screaming.

"The rest of you get up there," Alan said, straightening up, his face tired but set hard. "You need to keep any civilians safe."

"Alan, you feel up for this?" Wildcat asked his old friend with concern.

"It doesn't matter how I feel," Alan said, bringing himself up. "I have to do it."

Wildcat nodded as he and the others raced up the nearby stairway to the surface. Alan let his ring glow, sheathing him in a field that let him rise upward. Hal and Kara quickly joined him. "What do you need?" Hal asked.

"You two press it inward as much as you can," Alan said. "Make it tight enough for one person." The two flew to each side and let their rings flow outward, each creating a metal clamp. Kara felt it spark as she struck it but pressed it inward as much as she could. She felt it resisting but kept pushing more and more, her face lining with sweat as she concentrated. She could see Hal on the other side doing the same, seeming to have a bit more knack for it. She ground her teeth as she concentrated more, pressing as hard as she could, pushing the tunnel of magic closer to the other side.

Alan watched as they managed to condense it tight. He took a deep breath to steel himself and then flew into the center of the cone. He hissed out as the magics struck him, his shield buckling but he urged it to hold. He aimed his ring downward and fired a blast of light as far into the pit as he could, aiming for the Starheart piece he could sense below. It struck and he shook as it fought back but he kept it up. He could feel the energy swirling about him but ignored it the best way he knew how.

"_And I shall shed my light over dark evil…"_

He cracked the Starheart open and forced his beam into it, turning the edge into a suction vacuum.

"_For the dark things cannot stand the light…"_

He felt the energies sucked downward, his nose bleeding but ignoring it as he directed the power of the artifact downward into its home.

"_The light of…"_

Like a whirlpool of power, the magical energy was swept downward, past Alan and toward the pit. He kept it going as hard as he could, forcing every inch down.

"_**The Green Lantern!"**_

He let out a yell as he felt this last burst resist him, as if the Starheart was a living thing trying to be free. That brief lapse was enough for a beam of the Starheart's power to rake upward and toward him. Without thinking, Kara flew in, her ring creating a shield to intercept the beam. It struck her harder than she anticipated, causing her to scream in agony. She felt as if she was being ripped inside out and yanked back and forth as the reddish glow covered her completely.

"_Kara!"_ Hal yelled out, watching in horror as the glowing figure was yanked downward and into the pit. Before he could move, Alan fired his ring off once more to suck this last blast of energy into the Starheart. With the precision learned from decades of use, Alan forged a laser to weld the Starheart shut. He lowered himself to the ground, falling to a knee as he gasped for breath.

Hal landed next to him, staring in disbelief at the pit. "Kara," he whispered.

Alan gasped out. "I'm sorry….I didn't realize she…had done that until….I had to seal it off…"

Hal shook his head. "I can't believe…"

"Do not mourn, Hal Jordan." The two Green Lanterns whirled about to see the Phantom Stranger standing next to them. The man appeared as impassive as ever amid the destruction of the cavern. "Kara Thrace is not dead. She had merely been…transported by the energies of the Starheart."

"Transported where?" Hal demanded. "No games, Stranger, tell me!"

The Stranger's gaze actually appeared concerned for once. "To meet her destiny, Hal Jordan. One which shall impact your world far greater than anyone can anticipate."

Hal Jordan had modeled his entire life on never feeling fear. But the words of the Stranger were enough to chill even his spine.

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

Kara screamed out as she felt herself able to feel her body again. She was tumbling end over end through a field of clouds, the thin green sheath of her force field protecting her. She managed to command herself to stop and take stock of her surroundings. She felt bile rising and swallowed it, positive throwing up inside a thin force field in space wouldn't be a pleasant move. Kara opened her mouth to take a few deep breaths (which remained a bizarre thing to do in space).

"Ring," she was finally able to say. "Where the frak am I?"

"**Scanning…Carutos Nebula in Sector 7452."**

"Anyone else around here? Any worlds?"

"**Detecting multiple vessels of unidentified types roughly 2000 kilometers away."**

Kara nodded. "Okay…might as well head there first." Maybe someone had some sort of communications to get her in touch with another Lantern and find a way back to Earth. She flew through the clouds, the thick cover slowing her progress down. "Power level?" she asked, worried about losing her protection.

"**Error. Error. Power levels at 257%. Error. Error."**

Kara blinked in confusion. "How…"

"**Unknown. Power levels at 257%."**

Kara frowned at that. She wondered if that Starheart might have given her a boost of some kind even though its energy should have been different. Her musings were cut short when she caught sight of something in the clouds. Instinctively, she floated upward and to the side to examine it. She stared at the sight as it became clearer, the dimensions sharp and the shame in full view.

"No frakking way…"

She sent herself into high speed to pull alongside the craft. She saw its pilot turn his head, see her and then do a priceless double-take. She laughed, unable to help herself as she kept in perfect pace with the Colonial Viper and let her ring connect her to its communication system.

"Well, well. Fancy meeting you here, Captain Apollo."

The look on Lee Adama's face behind his helmet visor was absolute disbelief, his jaw opening and shutting with no sound coming out. "Don't freak out, Lee," Kara said in a softer tone. "It's really me."

"_Kara?!"_ Lee gasped.

Her smile enough to dazzle a sun, her green uniform-clad body flying as if it was perfectly normal, her blonde hair whipping behind her, Kara Thrace nodded. "I've been to Earth. And I'm going to show us the way."

**XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX**

**I know, a long chapter but had to get to this moment. As you can tell, things are going to get even more interesting from here on out and all comments welcomed. **


	9. Homecoming

**Lighting the Path**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Homecoming**

"We've got incoming," Margaret "Racetrack" Edmondson intoned as calmly as she could, her voice echoing in her helmet. Next to her in the Raptor was her co pilot Hamish "Skulls" McCall, his black face in concentration as the ship flew through the Nebula.

"It figures," he was muttering. "We get sent out first on the scouting and we're the ones in the front when the toasters show up!"

"You know how it is, Skulls," Racetrack replied. "When they need someone to hang their asses out in front of the fire, they get us."

Skulls looked at the DRADIS. "We've got Vipers coming behind us. Better let them take the lead."

Racetrack was gazing out the window at the trio of Basestars that hung in the nebula. She could see the squadrons of Raiders flying outward in the classic Cylon formations. No matter how many times she saw it, she shivered at the sight of that red light flashing back and forth on each ship. "Ready to pull back and…."

"_Just hold it back there, Racetrack," _a voice cut through the communications broadcast. _"These guys are all mine."_

Skulls and Racetrack stared at each other with expressions of shock. "That…that couldn't be…" Skulls started.

Racetrack shook her head. "Gotta be a trick. Unless she's…"

A flash of green got their attention as a figure flew in front of the Raptor. It paused to look at them, flashing that all too familiar smirk under the green mask around her head. She gave a wave before flying toward the oncoming Cylon fighters.

Once again, Racetrack and Skulls looked at each other with blank expressions. "You….you saw that too, right?" Skulls finally got out.

Racetrack swallowed as she activated her comlink. "Um…_Galactica_ Actual…you are not gonna believe this."

**BSGLBSGLBSGLBSGLBSGLBSGLBSGL**

On the bridge, it was controlled chaos as the crew reacted to the sudden Cylon threat. Bill Adama stood ramrod straight gazing at the screens overhead. "Colonel Tigh, give me status." He paused and looked over. "Colonel!"

Saul Tigh started, as if distracted, as he had been since entering the CIC. He glanced at a nearby monitor, collecting himself. "First wave of Vipers is out, we're readying the second launch now."

"Sir," Felix Gaeta called out from his place at the side of the room. "I'm getting some sort of odd blip on the DRADIS. Too small for a fighter of any kind but it's coming in at high speeds."

A crackle came over the loudspeakers as Racetrack's voice echoed. _"Um…Galactica Actual…You are not gonna believe this."_

Adama took the phone to speak. "What is it, Raptor?"

"_Sir….we've got a bogey here and…It's…a human, sir."_

Adama frowned. "A Viper?"

"_No, sir…a human. No ship, just…flying in space."_

Adama stared at the phone before returning it to his ear. "Say again?"

"_A human female, sir, dressed in some sort of green uniform and, um, glowing green too."_

"Racetrack, are you flying drunk?"

"_If she is, Galactica, then so are the rest of us," _the voice of Brenden "Hotdog" Costanza cut through the comlink. _"Cause we're all seeing it too."_

There was a loud buzz before a familiar female voice echoed through the speakers. _"As a member of the Green Lantern Corps, I am officially announcing this as a private combat zone. So, all of you just sit back, relax and enjoy for your listening pleasure…." _After a moment, a pulsating rock beat cut through the air.

"_No attorneys----to plead my case----No opiates----to send me into outer space…And my fingers are bejeweled…With diamonds and gold but that ain't gonna help me now, I'm trouble….Yeah, trouble now…I'm trouble y'all…"_

**BSGLBSGLBSGLBSGLBSGLBSGL**

Starbuck grinned as she flew toward the oncoming fighters, adjusting the earpiece connected to the iPod she wore under her uniform. She'd gotten attached to it when Hal showed it to her and had been wearing it on the flight back on Earth. "Ring, ready for this?"

"**As per second rewritten law of Oa, lethal force against all enemies of the Green Lanterns has been authorized."**

"Just what I wanted to hear." She grinned as she stopped in mid-air and fired a wide blast from her ring. The beam arced outward, smashing into the first wave of fighters. She spun about as the beam continued to cut through the Cylons, the explosion of multiple fighters lighting up the sky. The rest of the Cylons spun around to try and meet the oncoming threat, firing off bullets and missiles. Starbuck easily evaded the missiles as the bullets pounced harmlessly off her shield.

She let another beam fly from her ring, forming a giant hand that grasped one fighter. She turned around and let the hand throw itself outward, hurling the fighter straight at one of the Basestars. It buried itself into the side of the larger ship before exploding, causing a series of blasts in the craft. Starbuck was already moving, a green battering ram smashing another half dozen fighters to pieces.

Her eyes flickered to the side as she saw one fighter getting through to fire at a Viper that had strayed too far from the rest. Starbuck kicked herself around and flew outward, her ring firing a blast at the fighter. It cut through but not before the bullets had riddled the Viper, sending it out of control with the engines afire. Starbuck was on it in an instant, her ring emitting a beam at the Viper's cockpit. It entered and surrounded the pilot just as the Viper erupted into debris.

Starbuck lifted the bubble containing the pilot, looking into the stunned expression beneath the helmet. "Seelix? Hey, nice to see you jumping to the varsity team so soon!"

The woman just stared at her in disbelief as Starbuck flew toward a Raptor. She passed through it, pulling Seelix in after her, letting the bubble dissipate. Starbuck smiled at Skulls and Racetrack, who were both turned in their seats to face her. "Sorry, can't catch up now but buy you all a round later." She leapt out the other end of the Raptor, flowing through it as the pilots just stared after her.

"My Gods," Racetrack whispered. "That is her. No way a Cylon can be that frakking crazy."

"Or pull off an entrance like that," Skulls concurred.

Back in space, Starbuck could see the Cylon fighters suddenly retreating back to their Basestars. "No way," she hissed as she started to pour on the speed. For three years, she'd watched those metal bastards kill friend after friend. Now that she had the power to make them pay, no way was she going to let them go like this. She increased the shield around her, preparing to ram it right into the heart of the nearest Basestar and rip the thing apart from inside.

"**Warning: Gravimetric distortions detected. Possible warp drive activated."**

Starbuck gasped as she felt herself yanked back as the ring automatically moved to protect her. In the all-too-familiar flash, the Basestars vanished away. Starbuck let out a string of Caprican curses as she floated in the air. She turned around to see the Vipers moving back toward the fleet and took a deep breath. "Well, time to face the music," she remarked as she kicked herself out and flew toward the large ship in the middle.

**BSGLBSGLBSGLBSGLBSGLBSGL**

Adama and Tigh made their way to the catwalk facing the hanger deck as the last of the Vipers landed. The Raptor was open as Racetrack and Skulls helped a shaky Seelix off. Adama stopped as he saw Lee getting out of a Viper, pulling off his helmet.

"Pretty sure your son just committed a major felony," Tigh remarked.

Adama was looking toward the hanger entrance. "Right now, I've got more important things on my mind." Tigh followed his gaze as the green glow came closer and closer. Every person on the deck was looking as well with various expressions of confusion as the figure landed. The green nimbus slowly faded away as the uniform transformed into a flight suit similar to those around her but some minor alterations. There were a few gasps as everyone took her in fully.

Smiling, Starbuck reached for her upper vest pocket. A few soldiers instantly raised their rifles as people backed up. Carefully, the blonde removed a cigar she'd had in the flight suit just before taking off back at the airfield in California. She slid it into her mouth and held up her ring, a brief flash of green flame igniting the tip. Kara took a long drag before removing the cigar to blow out a stream of smoke. She looked about the deck, her lips in a smirk before leaning in to whisper. "Boo."

"Kara?" She turned to see Sam Anders coming toward her in a flight suit, his face stunned. Laughing, Kara moved to hug him, taken aback at the emotion he returned it with. "Hey, Sam." She backed up to look him over. "The hell are you doing in that?"

"Um, I'm a pilot, now," her husband said, still in shock.

Kara's eyebrows went up. "Really? Damn, guess standards went down after I left." She turned to see Lee coming up to her and felt herself swell up a bit. "Hey, Apollo."

Lee stopped in front to stare at her. "I saw your fighter…I saw it explode."

"Guess you missed this." Kara lifted her ring, letting everyone see its green glow. "Turns out there really is intelligent life out there in the universe and they've got their own police force. Apparently, I make the cut."

Lee stared at her and then broke out with a laugh. "If they get you as a member, they must have some crazy standards of their own."

"That's not the big news, though," Kara began. She was interrupted by an all too familiar cough and turned to see Adama staring down from the catwalk above. Her grin broadened as she stepped forward and saluted. "Sir. Great to see you again, old man."

Adama's expression was neutral as he looked her over. "Starbuck. What have you been hearing?"

"Nothing but the rain, sir," she grinned. "I've been to Earth, sir."

That got a lot of murmurs from the pilots and deck crew. Adama glared at them before looking back to Starbuck. "Medical wing, first, I want Cottle looking you over. Then…debriefing."

Starbuck shrugged as she walked on, not seeming to mind the trio of Marines who surrounded her as she went. "Mr. Adama!" the Commander called out and Lee shot his head up. "I'm going to have words with you regarding your unauthorized flight later. For right now, I need you to be in on…Starbuck's debrief."

Lee nodded as he started to walk. Sam fell in with him, shaking his head. "Is…Is it really her?"

"I don't know," Lee muttered, frowning as he started to walk on. "But if it's not, then we may have a bigger problem than just Cylons on our hands." He began to walk off, not seeing the flash of panic on Anders' face, nor the man looking across the deck to where Galen Tyrol had a matching expression.

**BSGLBSGLBSGLBSGLBSGL**

The interior of Adama's room was lit by green emitting from the large globe hanging at the center. An exact model of Earth slowly rotated, every country border highlighted as it spun, the image clear enough to see to the other side. Starbuck sat on one couch, sipping a drink as she kept it going, her voice professional.

"Europe is going to be tricky, there's a lot of old empires there that don't like a new form of thinking coming in. Japan might be more open, they're always pretty forward thinking. Middle East…Damn, that's gonna be messy. There are over a dozen countries that will kill each other at the drop of a hat and when it comes to religious fundamentalists, they make the Gemenonese look open-minded. Chinese will probably want an in with our tech but it's the U.S. that's the major force to handle. Whatever they decide, the rest will probably fall in."

"There's no central government?" Laura Roslin looked a bit more haggard than Kara remembered, her suit rumpled but still as professional as she could be, her hair a bit shorter now. Kara could feel the skepticism coming off Roslin in waves but ignored it as she let the image of the globe fade.

"The United Nations is supposed to be a big deal but the fact is, they don't have that much power," Kara replied as she sat back. "This Checkmate organization has international connection but not sure if we can trust them. So, sounds like the League may be our best bet." She finished her drink. "Good news is, Earth already has had contacts with alien races, so we won't be a massive culture shock for them."

"No, just shock for our side," Adama said from his place nearby. "You're telling me, there is no record of the exodus from Kobol at all?"

Kara shook her head. "I've been through records, libraries, hell even a couple of museums. Their calendar roughly matches ours, a few years difference here and there but nowhere near the time that would explain it. The fact is, it simply doesn't seem possible for the people of Kobol to have settled on Earth tens of thousands of years ago. All evidence indicates the human race evolved on Earth."

"What are you saying?" Roslin asked with more than a hint of anger in her voice. "That our holy scrolls are wrong?"

"I'm telling you what I know," Kara snapped back. "Sorry if it's not what you want to hear."

Roslin leaned in. "Is that why you're here? To take away our hope?"

Kara returned her gaze. "I came back to lead us to Earth. Now, I'm sorry it's not the utopia we hoped it'd be, I really am. But it's there and I intend to make sure we get there just like you promised we would."

"And we should believe all this?" Roslin pressed. "Talk of people with…super powers and a planet like this, we should believe it all?"

Kara stared at her for a long moment before lifting up her hand. A green shimmer of light covered her completely as she melted into the couch, phasing right through it. Everyone started in shock, staring at where she had been. The green glow reappeared, this time from the doorway and they turned to see Kara stepping through the wall as if it wasn't there. She leaned on it as the glow faded.

"I can leave anytime I want to," she said in a hard voice. "The ring will protect me and I really wouldn't recommend anyone trying to take it off me." She stepped forward to gaze at Roslin. "I'm not a Cylon. I'm a Green Lantern. That means I've got a lot more responsibility but I'm still here to help my people out." She lowered her hand. "Now, if you don't mind, I haven't eaten since morning on Earth so I'd kind of like some chow before we talk more."

Adama gazed at her for a long moment before nodding to the Marine by the door. "Take her to the pilots room. We should be able to find some sort of meal and quarters." The man nodded as he opened the door. Starbuck didn't look back as she marched out, the door shutting behind her.

As soon as it did, Adama turned to face the people inside the room. "Opinions?"

"I say it's her," Lee stated.

Roslin raised an eyebrow. "With all respect, Mr. Adama, you really don't have much objectivity here."

Lee returned her gaze. "Madame President, with all respect, you weren't out there. You didn't see that ring of hers at work. She was slicing apart Vipers with no trouble at all, creating massive objects with it and saved Seelix's life. If the Cylons had tech like that before, they wouldn't be wasting it on an infiltration scheme, they'd be blowing us out of the sky."

"We'll be discussing you being out there later," Adama said in a hard tone. He looked to the man at the far end of the couch. "Saul?"

Tigh was nursing a drink in his hands, gazing into the glass solemnly before speaking. "Chicago….Atlanta….China…Thailand….a whole bunch of places called "new" when there's no "old" around….A hundred different religions….and these freaks in costumes with fancy powers." He shook his head as he looked up. "Biggest bender of my life, I couldn't think up anything half that insane."

Lee nodded. "Exactly. The Cylons may be duplicitous but do you really think they have the imagination to come up with something like this? Hell, they'd be more likely to tell us of Earth as a perfect utopia to lure us in. Not a place divided and whose history doesn't match ours."

The look on her face told Lee Roslin was open to his words, however much she didn't want to be. Next to her, Tory Foster coughed, her attractive black face appearing as weary as Tigh's. "Madame President, the initial tests by Cottle do say she's not a Cylon. I don't want to accept this either but let's face it, that ring of hers is beyond any technology we've ever seen. I'm willing to go out on a limb and accept her story for the time being." She sighed. "Of course, it's going to be a little hard to explain this to the fleet."

"Security clampdown for now," Adama ordered. "Until we know more, we keep this quiet."

"It won't last," Tigh sighed. "You know how quickly word spreads."

"We'll handle it as it comes," Roslin declared as she rose to her feet, swaying a bit before getting her full balance. "I've got to get back to Cottle for my treatments. I want a guard on Starbuck 24/7, track her moves and try to figure out this…ring of hers." She shook her head as she headed toward the door. "Only Kara Thrace could give us more trouble dead than alive."

As soon as she left, Lee faced Adama. "I assume you want to talk to me…Admiral?" He emphasized the last word.

Adama was solemn as he nodded. "Colonel, Tory, please leave us." The two immediately got up and headed toward the door which Tigh shut behind him. "Knowing the old man, it's probably going to be a low volume but high tension affair in there," Tigh noted.

Tory looked about before leaning in to speak softly to him. "Do you think…she may know? About us?"

"What's to know?"

Tory glared at him. "You know what, Colonel. You, me, Anders, the Chief. That we're…"

"Don't say it," he snarled at her, his sole eye glaring with rage. "You never say that out loud, got it?"

"It won't change the truth," she hissed back. "If they find out…"

"Never say it," he repeated. "As for Starbuck and Earth…We'll see how it goes."

"What if we end up leading them to Earth?" Tory asked.

"If half of what Starbuck says about the folks there is true…" A grim smile came to Tigh's face. "Then maybe getting to Earth can be just the thing to get rid of the damn toasters."

Tory didn't share his enthusiasm. "And if we're the damn toasters?"

Tigh's face lost the smile as he just kept walking on. Tory followed, her mind whirling over the events of the last hour and how the arrival of Kara Thrace could spell an end in more ways than one.

**For those wondering, the song played is "Trouble" by Pink, which always struck me as a perfect song for Kara. All comments welcomed.**


	10. Unsettling Back In

**Lighting the Path**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Unsettling Back In**

* * *

The pilot's bunkers were naturally packed as Starbuck made her entrance. Any conversation stopped as all eyes turned to her, the pilots who hadn't been in the hanger staring in wonder while a few others had suspicion in their faces. Starbuck grinned as she reached to her hip. "Boys and girls, I present the fist example of one of the awesome pieces of tech Earth has to offer us." She placed her iPod onto the table. "The iPod. Three thousand songs packed into one little player." She grinned at them. "You guys are gonna love the Rolling Stones."

"You were really there?" Hotdog asked with obvious doubt. "On Earth?"

Kara nodded. "You better believe it."

"They have Pyramid there?" Barolay asked.

Kara shook her head. "No. But basketball is pretty close." She looked over toward Sam, who still stared at her in disbelief. "It really is me, guys."

"Well, there's only one sure way to prove that," Hotdog said in a serious tone. He stepped forward and laid a palm onto the table. He pulled it back to reveal a pack of cards lying on the surface. "Caprican high roll."

Starbuck smiled as she began to expertly shuffle the cards. "Place your bets, guys and gals….I've got a few new tricks to show off." A few of the other pilots joined Hotdog at the table as Kara started to deal out the cards.

* * *

Egypt was a land that had changed very little over thousands of years. The harsh desert still maintained its deadly power to swallow the unwary and leave their bones to the sun. Although stripped by the elements, the pyramids still held their power and majesty. That especially resonated for one who had seen them in their glory.

The small pack of camels halted before the large triangular structure. Their riders were clad as if from another time, in turbans and scarves, their clothes more like robes that blended into the desert sands. Each carried a bevy of swords and knives and were prepared to use them to the utmost. At the center of the group, the lead figure dismounted and surveyed the area. He pulled his facial scarf down, letting his long grey/black mustache and beard be open to the cool night air. He gazed out, seeing nothing but desolate wasteland as far as the eye could see, no signs of human civilization at all. Most people would see this as a land far too harsh for any sane person to live in.

To Ra's al Ghul, this was truly paradise.

The man known as the Demon's Head took in a deep breath before making his way toward the pyramid's entrance. He could see it already open and lights from within. Ra's glanced to his bodyguards and gave a short nod. They began to follow him into the temple, letting him take the lead. Each man was an expert killer but, more importantly, they were fiercely loyal, willing to follow their master to the death if not beyond.

His true name lost to the sands of time so long ago that not even he could remember it, Ra's had been alive for centuries. His exact age seemed to vary as he'd stated it anywhere from five to eight or even nine hundred years old. That uncertainty added to his legend which was already fearful enough. The very mention of his name would make the most hardened terrorist go pale. His mission was simple: To purify the Earth, to return it to a state where human beings could live in it with harmony. If that meant having to exterminate a few billion people….well, that was a small price to pay.

The interior of the pyramid was cool as torches lit a path down its stone walls. Ra's led the way, puling his hood back to let his long hair flow back. His skin was nearly white and thus shone a bit in the torchlight. Behind him walked a hulking servant with a bald head, a blade out in his hands. "I am unsure of this, Master," he hissed.

"I will be fine, Abu," Ra's answered.

"Your well-being is my sole duty, Master," Abu replied. It wasn't his name but rather his title; his order had sworn themselves to the service of Ra's generations ago, the best of their number granted the honor of his personal guard. While he may not have been great in intellect, he more than made up for it with his skill, strength and devotion.

Ra's led the group into a large chamber lit by large neon lights. Tables and shelves were spread about filled with artwork and artifacts that appeared centuries old, some in cases. A large metallic throne sat at the center where a large figure stood, his back to the group. "Have trouble finding the place?" he said in a tone that attempted to sound civil but was mixed with a guttural tone that belied the attempt. He turned to face Ra's, clad in a dark black uniform that matched the color of his hair and sharp beard. His face had some handsome to it but was craggy and mixed with a harshness that Ra's lacked, the lips turned upward in a constant sneer as if he automatically looked down upon everyone.

Unlike Ra's, Vandal Savage's age could be easily determined. His build and face were harsher than most people for a reason as he was not Cro-Magnon. He was the only person on Earth to whom "Neanderthal" was not an insult but a statement of fact. Born Vandar Adg, he had been the leader of a small tribe in what would become North America 50,000 years earlier when he was bathed in the radiation of a mysterious meteor. That energy granted him virtual immortality, allowing him to live on when the rest of his kind died out. Since the dawn of human history, he had been wandering the Earth while indulging in his thirst to conquer.

If he was to be believed, Savage had gone by many names throughout his long life: the Egyptian Pharaoh Khafre, Alexander the Great, Genghis Khan, Blackbeard, Vlad the Impaler and Jack the Ripper. He had even claimed to have been Julius Caesar but later hinted he had merely took part in the plan to kill Caesar for his own means. He had come to the world's attention when his attempt to overthrow the U.S. government in 1940 was discovered by Alan Scott and his immortal nature exposed. Since then, Savage had continued on his path toward world conquest, willing to do whatever it took to bring humanity under his heel.

Given their long lives, it was surprising that Savage and Ra's had not crossed paths often. Then again, Savage lived for being in the spotlight as much as he could, to let people know he was the conqueror while Ra's preferred to keep to the shadows. And there were other reasons why the two did not work often together.

"I have been in this region before," Ra's stated, his voice calm and crisp. "I assume this was once yours?" he waved around the pyramid.

"Once," Savage said. "I found it a good place to use as a storage locker." He walked about the room. "The annoyance of immortality, I just can't throw anything away."

"Unless it is lives or family," Ra's remarked.

Savage smiled at him. "We can't all have the close family ties you do." It was well known that Savage had fathered countless children over his long life and kept an eye on their descendants. Not out of family devotion by any means; rather he used their organs to replace his own and sustain his life further. He looked over Ra's and smiled. "But then, I am hardly alone in that regard."

He was referring to the fact that the albino-skinned body Ra's owned was not truly his own but rather had belonged to Ra's own long-ignored son. Ra's had managed to be reborn into it in order to come back from the grave. The Demon's Head merely shrugged. "One must make do as one can."

"I must say I do feel jealously now and then," Savage went on. "All my conquests and I never produced so lovely a creature as Talia."

Ra's eyes narrowed. "Tread carefully, Savage."

Savage didn't seem to take the hint. "I wonder, how is she now? Still mooning over that foolish Batman? Perhaps she would be open to the charms of a real man, one who can break her and tame her and-"

Abu snarled, a hand at his sword but Ra's held up a hand to stop him. His eyes never left Savage, his face still impassive but deep within his orbs flicked a harsh coldness. "One more word of my daughter," he hissed. "And you will spend the next century regrowing your extremities." His eyes narrowed. "_All_ of them."

That seemed to get through to Savage although he appeared more amused than frightened. "Well, I suppose it's a bit late for tea. You're probably wondering why I called you here."

"Unlike you, Savage, I do not wish to waste what time I have," Ra's stated. "Simply tell me what you want."

"Proposal or price?"

Ra's crossed his arms.

Savage smiled. "Price first then. I want a Pit."

Ra's took that in with a slow nod. While Savage owed his immortality to an other-world object, Ra's' longevity was due to the Lazarus Pits. Pools of strange energy hidden at certain spots across the world, bathing in the Pits would heal any wound, imbue a person with new energy and even bring one back from the dead. Of course, there was the side effect that upon emerging, a person was overcome with a mad rage. One could easily draw a conclusion as to how long-term use of the Pits had contributed to Ra's current state of mind…as long as they did so far away from the Demon's Head.

Ra's stopped his nodding. "So…the rumors are true. You have lost your immortality."

"Not completely," Savage confessed. "I have been able to sustain it a bit through…various means. However, it has its limits. And I believe the Pit will be able to repair the damage."

Ra's crossed his arms. "And what are you to offer for something I hold so close to me?"

"Close?" Savage scoffed. "Please, you let the Riddler have one! The Riddler, of all people!"

"That was not my decision," Ra's snapped. He calmed himself down and brushed at his hair. "Tell me what you have first and then I shall decide."

In answer, Savage walked over toward a table at the far end of the chamber. He pulled off a cloth to show a large glass jar. Lifting it, he brought it over to Ra's and held it up. "I believe that this will suffice as an opening." He held it up for Ra's to observe.

Ra's frowned as he saw the large metallic head under the glass. He took in the thick metal face and what looked like a visor at what would be the eyes. "This is what you have?" he asked dubiously. "A robot head? I don't care for such technologies, Savage."

"Neither do I, usually," Savage said. "But I did feel I wanted to keep this when I found it…" He paused for effect before finishing. "In what used to be Pompeii."

Ra's' eyes slowly looked up toward him. "This….was on Earth 2000 years ago?"

Savage nodded. "Yes. At the time, I was not sure of its origins or purpose. However, the Calculator has been rather helpful recently." He was referring to the villainous hacker who, after a failed run as a third-rate costumed crook, had remade himself into the supreme intelligence source for the entire super-villain community. With his skills, he was able to get nearly any information for a price. "His bugs inside the Hall of Justice have come up with information that may shine some interesting light." He smiled. "I believe that the newer versions of that particular centurion may be still out there…and perhaps heading toward us. That is a situation that can breed chaos. And if there's one trait you and I share, al Ghul…it's being able to turn chaos to our advantage."

Ra's pursed his lips and examined the head further. "I believe, Savage…we may have much to discuss after all."

* * *

Kara hummed softly as she put the last of her cards down. "Gotta know when to hold them…know when to fold them…" She grinned as she reached for the chips on the table. "Know when to walk away…know when to run…"

Hotdog shook his head with a rueful smile. "Yep. It's her, all right."

Kara grinned at the pilots around her. "Sorry, folks, but they do have poker on Earth and in a few new styles." She glanced around. "So where's Lee, anyway? I figured he'd be running you guys ragged now."

"He quit," Seelix said.

Kara blinked. "What? Why?"

"Get ready for a shock," Hotdog said. "He quit so he could defend Baltar at his trial. And he won, too."

Kara stared, positive she hadn't heard him right. "Are you frakking kidding me?"

Seelix had a sour look on her face. "I wish. Nope, he defended Baltar and actually managed to get that frakker found not guilty too."

Kara blinked. "Roslin allowed this?"

"Nothing she could do," Skulls stated. "She let the verdict stand. Course, she's distracted by the fact her cancer's come back."

Kara tossed down her cards and threw up her hands. "I leave for a few months and the whole damn fleet falls apart." She paused and then got up. "I gotta talk to him."

"Who?" Hotdog asked, startled at her move.

"Lee," Kara said. "Someone has to talk some sense into him."

"What about the game?" Hotdog blurted. Kara paused and moved back to the table, flipping her cards over to show a full straight flush. She walked out without a word, leaving the pilots just staring in disbelief after her.

Sam was leaning back in his seat when he looked up to see Seelix glaring at him. He blanched, remembering her look at seeing him and Tory kissing earlier. "Passing you by without a word to focus on someone else," Seelix coldly said. "Guess you know how it feels now."

She walked past him, Sam rubbing his face as he tried to balance this with the rest of the new thoughts whirling in his mind.

* * *

The knock at the door got Lee's attention. He had switched from his uniform into a light suit, glancing up at the opening where Kara leaned on the door. "You know, I always wondered how you looked in something besides the uniform."

"You saw that on New Caprica," Lee said before he could think about it. They stared at one another before he looked away. "Sorry."

Kara moved into the room, studying him. "Why?"

"Which why?" he asked as he slid a jacket on. "Why'd I quit? Why I'd defend Baltar? Why did I get back into the Viper to chase you down?"

"All of the above," Kara acknowledged. "But let's start with the big one." She leaned in to glare at him. "Baltar, Lee? You actually put yourself out there to defend Gaius mother-frakking Baltar?"

"No one else would do it," Lee answered.

"No one else _should_ have done it!" she yelled. "After all that son of a bitch did, he deserved to get flushed out the nearest airlock."

"There are laws, Kara. The Piconese Accords…"

"Picon is a pile of radioactive rubble, Lee! And that's partly because of him!" She shook her head. "Seriously, what the hell is this? Since when do you even have a law degree?"

"Things are a little more lax," he pointed out. "Besides, my grandfather was a great lawyer."

"And your dad is a great admiral and you've been following him all your life," Kara stated. "Is that what this is, Lee? Trying to get out from his shadow once and for all?"

Lee stared at her. "You have no idea what…" He swallowed. "I saw you die, Kara. I saw it explode and you with it. We all….we all mourned you, we all were sorry you were gone and now you come back and…"

Kara brushed back her hair. "I didn't ask for this, Lee. The ring found me and next thing I know, I'm in an alien version of boot camp and then on Earth. I'm sorry I couldn't contact you before but now…" She bit her lip. "I know things got…difficult for us and…there's Sam and Anastasia…"

"She and I broke up," he interjected.

Kara stopped and blinked. "Wow, way to bury the lead." She saw his look of confusion. "Earth expression. What happened?"

"Like you, she didn't take well to me grilling Roslin to get Baltar off."

Kara held up a hand. "Please, please, do not let me hear you use the words 'get Baltar off' ever again."

Lee chuckled softly. "Nice to see your sense of humor hasn't changed."

"Yeah but a lot more has." Kara's frown deepened as she crossed her arms before her. "Lee, you're a pilot. Not as good as me, but hey, who is? You belong out there."

"I can do more outside it, Kara," Lee said. "Roslin's got cancer again and unless there's a miracle cure on Earth…"

Kara shook her head. "They've got it as bad as the Colonies did."

"Then she won't last long," Lee went on. "And you want to leave Tom Zarek in charge all alone as President?"

Kara winced. "Pass." She looked away before speaking. "How's the Old Man?"

Lee looked down. "He took you dying hard. Smashed up his model ship and got pretty intense, more than usual." He sighed. "He didn't like me going but he understood." He looked back to her. "I'm hoping you can too."

She stared back before taking a deep breath. "Gods, you Adamas can be so damn stubborn. Talking you out of anything is like pulling water from a stone."

Lee adjusted his jacket. "I have to talk to Roslin about all this." He moved to the door, pausing before her. They looked at each other silently but their eyes spoke volumes. Each opened this mouth to say something before Lee moved past her and headed down the hallway.

Kara paced slowly into the hall and stopped as she saw Anastasia Dualla stepping out from behind a corner. "Hey, Anastasia," she said, forcing a smile. "How you…" She stopped, the smile fading. "Forget it, stupid-ass question."

The black woman just stared at her coolly. "I don't believe in you, I want to make that clear."

"I'm getting that," Kara said, keeping her face calm. "But it is me. And I've been to Earth."

Dualla just stared back at her. "You dying hurt him," she softly said. "But it killed us. That's when I knew I was never the one he wanted. He only settled on me because he couldn't have you." She stepped forward, her face more tense. "And now you come here and you're going to rip out his heart all over again. Him and Sam and the Old Man."

"I don't want to do that," Kara quickly said. "I just…I want to help us, Dualla, all of us. I know we can get to Earth and…"

Dualla brought her hands out from behind her back, her service weapon aimed right at Kara's heart. "I won't let you hurt any of them anymore," she spat, her fingers tightening on the trigger.

Just as the gun fired with a blast that thundered in the hallway, Kara found herself once more asking just what she had done to irritate the gods so damn much.

* * *

**My apologies for the long delay, hit by a bit of block on this. But hoping to get it back on track quick as plenty of ideas left to use. All comments welcomed. **


	11. Assault and Battery

**Lighting the Path**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Assault and Battery**

* * *

"There has to be something," Hal said as he paced the computer room of the JLA satellite. Wonder Woman, Superman, Red Arrow, Black Canary and Vixen were present, all concerned as the Green Lantern was upset.

"I still don't see how the Guardians can't find her," Wonder Woman stated. "Don't they have a track on every Lantern?"

"They're supposed to," Hal sighed. "But they claim they can't find her, something about her still technically being a recruit."

"Sounds like they're playing some game," Red Arrow remarked.

"Easy, Roy," Vixen smirked. "You're sounding a bit too much like Ollie."

Hal sighed. "There has to be something. I thought the scanners here might help but the magical energies involved in teleporting her might be messing it up a bit too much."

"Relax, Hal," Superman said. "We'll find her. A Green Lantern doesn't just vanish into thin air. The clues are there, we just need to find them." He smiled. "Trust me, people don't overlook the obvious."

Hal raised an eyebrow. "This coming from the man who works at a newspaper with only a pair of glasses to conceal his identity."

Superman just rolled his eyes as Canary fought off a smile. "Hal, we'd love to help but right now, our magical members are busy with other things. Zatanna has her tour, I have no idea who's under Fate's helmet right now and forget contacting the Stranger…"

A beeping sound echoed and Canary moved to the communication console. "Yes?"

There was a pause before Firestorm's voice echoed. _"Ah, guys? There's someone in the museum I really think we should be checking out."_

"Who?"

_"You'll never believe it…"_

* * *

The JLA museum was normally rather busy at this time of day. Tourists could never get enough of the trophies and history of the League throughout the years. At this point, however, people were giving a wide berth to the person standing before a picture showing a pitched battle of heroes and villains in the heart of Metropolis. His appearance was enough to stand out even among this odd collection: Quite thin, his face resembling a weasel's with a green domino mask over his eyes. He was clad in a dark green shirt with matching tie and shirt and purple gloves with a bright green derby hat. Scattered over the suit were slews of black question marks and he leaned on a cane whose handle was shaped like the same mark.

He didn't turn as the various Leaguers stepped out of the entranceway, brushing past eager tourists to move toward the man. Hal was frowning deep as he took the new arrival in. "What are you doing here, Nygma?"

The man was quiet for a moment before speaking. "When is a man like an unlit candle?" He paused for a few seconds before answering. "When he needs a match."

Ever since he was a child, Edward Nygma had been enthralled by puzzles and riddles. As he grew, that obsession soon became full-blown mania and Nygma began to use it as his modus operandi for the identity of the Riddler. For years, he plagued Gotham City, constantly leaving behind clues to show off his intelligence. His career was hardly the most successful; after all, when the local hero is known as the World's Greatest Detective, telling him what you're going to steal and where you're hiding out isn't the best move. However, the Riddler was driven by his need to show off, unable to leave his games behind, leading to constant defeats and arrests.

Like almost every other costumed criminal, the Riddler had been inducted into the Secret Society of Super-Villains during the recent Crisis, taking part in the very battle he was now observing on the wall. During it, he had sustained a vicious blow to the head that left him comatose for months. When he awoke, it turned out the blow had literally knocked some sense into him as he was declared sane by the doctors of Arkham Asylum and allowed to go free. It was also a literal wake-up call for Nygma as he realized the futility of wasting his talents on crime when he could show off his intellect in much better ways. Good-bye super-villain the Riddler and hello to Edward Nygma, private investigator to the rich and famous.

Naturally, people were wary at first, suspecting a scam but Nygma had gained a reputation as unfailingly honest and truly enjoyed his job. He'd found it much more satisfying impressing people who were more receptive to his brilliance solving crimes than creating them. It also netted him more money legitimately than he'd ever seen in crime, more than enough to keep him satisfied. However, his reputation remained, making his presence in the Hall of Justice more than a bit untoward.

Nygma turned to face the group of heroes, his lips pulled into a confident smirk. "Well, well. I can't recall seeing all of you when you weren't trying to knock me unconscious."

"We can always keep the track record going," Canary remarked, cracking her knuckles.

"Easy, easy," Nygma said, holding up his hands. "I come in peace. I believe I have information you'll all be quite interested in."

"What's the price?" Canary asked.

Nygma raised an eyebrow over his mask. "Now, now, I believe it's much better to be on the good side of you lot."

"You may have fooled most folks with this private eye act, Riddler," Red Arrow snapped. "But I still remember smacking you around as one of the Titans."

The Riddler calmly looked at his gloves as he rubbed his fingers together. "Bygone days, my lad. What brings me here today is information I've gathered from some various sources."

"Thought you were out of the game."

"Any good private investigator has his resources," Ngyma stated. "Matches Malone, low-level Gotham stoolie, can be quite the help."

Somehow, the JLA managed to hide smiles, knowing that Matches was actually an alias Batman used to infiltrate the underworld. "There's also been the Quizmaster," the Riddler continued. "It seems his last prison stint was cut short after his work with the Suicide Squad where he actually managed to avoid death this time around."

The heroes' faces scowled at that. The Suicide Squad had long been a bone of contention with the JLA. The brainchild of Amanda Waller, the Squad had been set up to give costumed criminals a chance for clemency in exchange for taking part in top-secret, and quite often illegal, missions for the government. Waller's reasoning was that the government would always have dirty jobs they'd need deniability for so why not use criminals for it? The idea of letting these villains loose for dirty work rubbed more than a few heroes the wrong way and it hardly helped the Squad had been used against the JLA a few times in the past.

"And just what have they found?" Hal pressed.

The Riddler turned back to examine a piece in a glass case. "Huh. I could have sworn Ivo's head was much bigger than that…"

"All right, that's it," Red Arrow said as he moved forward. "I'm kicking his ass one more time!"

The Riddler waited until his glove was just about to touch his shoulder before speaking. "Does the word 'Cylon' mean anything to any of you?"

Red Arrow's glove stopped and the Riddler turned, that smirk back on his face. "Ah, I see it does."

"How did you hear about that?" Canary demanded.

The Riddler crossed his arms, nimbly balancing his cane on his wrists. "The Squad's last mission was in the Middle East, breaking up what they believed was a secret arms deal. As it turns out, it was more of a summit with one of the figures in question being…"

"Ra's al Guhl."

Except for Superman, the Riddler was the only one who didn't jump at the gravelly voice coming from behind. "I might have known you'd be on top of that," Nygma said as he turned to where Batman had appeared beside a display case. Firestorm couldn't help noticing how the tourists had pretty much scattered at this point, no one interested in a photo of the Dark Knight. The Riddler just smiled at the man as he leaned on his cane once more. "Sorry if I ruined your little announcement."

Batman just glared at him. "Ra's is up to something. I was going to use the Hall database to help track his movements down."

"I can help there," Nygma stated. "According to the Quizmaster, the Squad had the area under surveillance and spotted Ra's with the one person on Earth who can refer to him as 'Junior.'"

Black Canary's eyes widened. "Vandal Savage?"

"Alive and well as ever," Nygma confirmed. "It didn't go well as someone had the brilliant idea of putting that new Blockbuster on the team and needless to say, a seven foot tall muscleman with the grace and brain of an elephant isn't suited for stealth missions. It all got to be a rather ugly mess with both Ra's and Vandal managing to escape."

"Quizmaster just shared all this with you?" Canary asked dubiously.

"Well, he owes me a few favors," the Riddler replied. "Not the least of which is not killing him years ago for stealing my act."

"What's this have to do with Cylons?" Batman growled. "And how do you even know about them?"

The Riddler smiled. "What do you call a corn spike when it's been shot through?"

The various heroes blinked but Batman instantly replied. "An open ear."

Nygma nodded. "You really need to check your place out, it is astoundingly easy for the Calculator to keep bugging it." He glanced at Hal. "A new female Green Lantern drops by, you think something like that isn't going to get out to the villain community? The battle between the Rogues and Sorrow's gang was pretty big news and that's money for the Calculator. We know about this other Lantern and how she vanished and that's tied in with these Cylons you've been mentioning in your meetings. Who, evidentially, were the subject of some discussion between Ra's and Vandal, although the specifics weren't captured on tape."

"Why tell us this?" Canary asked, still suspicious.

Nygma smiled. "As I said, I thought giving you some information might pay off for me in the future." He raised an eyebrow. "I don't suppose a finder's fee…" He trailed off at the looks he was getting. "No, I suppose not." He twirled his cane in his hands as he turned to the door. "Well, I must be off, have a senator who needs his mistress found before she turns up some blackmail material on him. It feels so nice to serve the national interest." He stopped by Batman, frowning as he peered closely at the chin. "Huh…every time I see it…something…" He shrugged before walking through the doorway, whistling as he went.

Firestorm coughed before speaking. "I know I'm still the new kid on the block and all but are we really going to take serious tips from a guy dressed like a giant question mark?"

"Nygma has always been honest," Batman said. "Even when he was giving his riddles. He considers lying cheating and unworthy of his game. If he says Savage and Ra's are working together, they are."

"And it's tied in to the Cylons somehow," Hal mused. "Damn, maybe Kara was right, there is a connection with Earth."

"It bears looking into," Superman said. He looked over to Hal. "You know that if she's somehow found her fleet…she might bring them here."

Hal let out a breath. "I know. And I know the consequences."

Batman shook his head. "You bring that war to our world, Hal, and it's not just the Lanterns in the hot seat."

As often happened, no one was willing to doubt Batman's words.

* * *

As soon as the bullet exited the chamber, Kara was already moving. Well, actually, she didn't move at all physically but her mind raced and the ring responded. A green beam erupted outward to form a large bucket, the first thing that entered Kara's mind. It easily caught the bullet, swallowing it into its maw. Before Dee could realize what was happening, Kara turned the bucket into a hand to snap out and yank the gun out of Dee's hands, the pistol falling into Kara's own.

Dee stared in disbelief, trying to process what had just happened. Kara threw the gun behind her and shook her head. "Okay, normally, you would now be unconscious with no doubt quite a bit of head trauma right now. However, I'm cutting a bit of slack given the circumstances." She stepped forward, trying not to come off too harsh. "Dee…I'm not trying to take Lee away. I never did. I'm just…trying to figure out my place now."

Dee shook her head. "You can't…just die and then come back."

"Actually, it sounds surprisingly easy on Earth," Kara cracked. She sobered down as she stepped forward. "This is all crazy for me too. There's Lee and Sam and…" She sighed deeply as she held up her fist. "And this."

Dee stared at the ring, licking her lips. "What…what is it like?"

Kara blinked, surprised that she was the first to ask that question. She looked at the ring as she pondered how to put it. "Imagine having a jump drive, a nuke and the power plant of Caprica all in one place. Imagine having to pour your will, what you have, what you feel, your whole spirit, into it every time you use it. It's not just imagination…it's myself, it's so much of myself and I have to use it full-scale whenever I use it."

Dee bit her lip. "I can't…it's hard to imagine."

"Tell me about it," Kara sighed. "Listen, Dee…I don't want to steal Lee back. Right now, I just want to figure out how to handle this, maybe find a way to get us to Earth and-"

A massive explosion ripped through the hallway, knocking them both back. Kara automatically used the ring to set up a force field, blocking the fire and debris. Alarms were echoing through the hall as she rose up, her uniform forming around her. "Get to safety," she said as she raced toward the nearest wall. At her command, the ring turned her intangible, letting her fly through the ship and into open space. Thankfully, the ring's automatic force field protected her from the cannon blast that struck her just as she exited.

Shaking it off, Kara took in the situation. A trio of ships were moving toward the fleet, all bulky in design and obviously armed. Two were firing away at the _Galactica_, fires breaking out across the ship while the other was targeting the rest of the fleet. "Ring, what am I looking at?" Kara demanded.

**"Analysis: Khund warships, possible raiders as territory is currently in dispute."**

"And the Khund are….."

**"Khund: A fiercely hostile race of warriors, highly trained in warfare. Threat level eight."**

"Good, just the right level to smash apart," Kara remarked as she flew toward the nearest ship. She fired out a beam, a buzzsaw forming to slice at the ship's hull. It held up surprisingly well, its sister ship moving off and turning to fire at Kara. She tried her best to dodge the blasts, even as she fired off beams of her own. She saw one of the ships firing at one of the smaller vessels of the fleet, blasting it apart in a fireball. Cursing, Kara fired a blast to knock the ship back but that let another fire at her.

She saw a streaking move out of the corner of her eye as a Viper flew past her, firing off missiles at one of the Khundian ships. They impacted but seemed to have no effect. It did cause the ship to turn and fire off a pair of beams that the Viper barely managed to dodge.

Kara had noticed something interesting since getting the ring. Despite the fact there was no air in space, when she was within the ring's protective field, she could somehow hear sounds travel. She didn't know if it was something the ring provided or her own imagination adding to things but it was there. From what Hal said, it was a common thing for Lanterns so at least she knew she wasn't going crazy. Thus, she was able to hear the sounds of engines roaring behind her and turned to see two more Khund vessels appear out of nowhere. "Frak," she muttered. "Too many at once…"

"Chill out, girl!" a voice suddenly echoed within the field. "You forget…Corps takes care of its own!"

Kara turned her head as another green bream shot past her, impacting one of the Khund vessels. She stared in amazement as Guy Gardner flew past her, his face showing a wide grin. Behind him were two other Lanterns that Kara recognized: The lizard-like Isamot Kol and the more human-looking Vath Sarn. "You two spread out and protect those ships!" Guy barked. "Me and Thrace will handle the Khund!"

"What the frak are you guys doing here?" Starbuck demanded.

"Would you believe just passing through?" Guy smirked. "Simple job checking the progress of these two, no idea you guys were in this sector."

"Well, might as well make yourselves useful," Kara said as she flew toward one Khund vessel, Guy behind her.

Kol threw a beam of green that formed a shield around one ship, protecting it from the blaster fire of a Khund attacker. "Brings back memories, huh?" he called out to his partner. The two had been on opposite sides of the Rann-Thangar War when they were separately chosen for the Corps.

Sarn threw a smirk at him. "Just make sure you're not throwing out any friendly fire." Despite the jab, the duo had come to respect and trust one another.

Kara flew past a Viper, seeing the pilot do a double-take at the two humans in green costumes flowing past him. She glanced over to Guy. "So what's the plan?"

"Jordan and Kyle do plans," Guy smirked. "Me, I just find it better to fly in and figure out as I go."

"Works for me," Kara stated. She let her ring fire a beam that ended with a giant hammer, smashing into one side of the attacking ship. Guy followed suit with a hammer of his own, the duo smashing the ship inward. It drifted off, its engines failing as Kara looked to another ship. "Sure we can handle all these ourselves?" she asked.

"You got me, don't you?" Guy grinned. "That's all the Lantern you ever need."

Kara smirked at him. "You know, Hal told me you could get pretty cocky. And he said if you did, just say two words. One punch." Guy's scowl made her laugh as she flew to another ship.

Kol was deflecting a blast when he felt something strike at his personal force field. He glanced over to see a Viper hovering nearby, firing at him. "I'm on your side, you idiot!" he snapped, shaking his large head. "Sure, the one non-human gets fired at, it figures."

"They should be glad it's Khunds and not Thangarians," Sarn stated as he fired a blast at an attacking ship.

"Cause my people are tougher?"

"I was thinking more of the smell."

"Oh, this from the guy whose planet needed an Earthman to be their champion…"

"You're going to diss Gardner's world?"

"Diss?"

"Sorry, hang out at their bar too much, pick up more of their slang."

* * *

The CiC was more chaotic than usual, the detail trying to keep up on the bizarre battle going on outside. "Sir, we got the Vipers but these other bogeys…" Dee called from her screen. "We can barely track them, they're switching around faster than we can track them." She was at the station normally held by Felix Gaeta, who had been between decks when the attack occured and his current whereabouts were unknown.

"Tell the Vipers to give them whatever support they can," Adama ordered. "If they're helping us, we can use it." He sighed as he looked around. "Where the hell is Tigh?"

"Last I heard, checking with the Chief," Dee said.

"Well, someone get him up here!" Adama barked.

"I'm on it, sir," Cally said, with a salute. She'd been on the bridge handing over a report when these strange ships launched the attack. She raced down the halls, brushing past people running about. The ship shook from another blast and she had to steady herself before continuing on. She found it liberating to be able to concentrate on a task rather than be concerned as usual about Galen. Things had been hard for them, harder than ever. There'd been a distance growing for some time, ever since just before Starbuck came back, a gulf Cally just couldn't see vanishing anytime soon. It worried her, deeply. After all they'd been through, all the sacrifices, the idea of losing him now…It was something that made her angry more than anything else.

She took a couple of ladders down to get to the section where the living quarters were. She had no idea why Tigh wouldn't be at the CiC already but she was determined to get him and try to survive this. She paused as she heard voices in a room nearby and moved toward it. She put a hand on the door but something stopped her from fully turning the handle. She didn't know what, just some instinct made her slowly move it just enough to crack it open and peer in.

She could see the back of Tigh's bald head as he growled at Galen. She got the sense there were two others in the room but couldn't quite make them out. Galen was speaking intently as she listened in. "-The fleet's under attack, we have to…."

"We have to settle this first!" Tigh snapped. "I don't want you blurting things out in the middle of all this, trying to salve your damn conscience!"

"We can't hide it forever, Colonel," Galen fired back. "You know that. Sooner or later, it's coming out. I say we do it on our own terms."

"You think that will change anything?" came a voice Cally recognized as Tory Foster. She could see Sam moving toward Tigh as if being pushed aside and wondered what the hell she had stumbled onto. "You think that'll stop Roslin from throwing us all out an airlock just because we're honest about it? It won't, you know that."

"It's not like we knew!" Galen protested. "It's not like we've been doing sabotage for the last three years. Colonel, you and the Admiral have known each other for how long? You think he'll just kill you on the spot?"

"I would," Tigh growled. "And I'm amazed to hear you pushing for this, Chief. You have more to lose than any of us."

"What are you talking about?"

Tigh grunted as he moved closer. "You honestly think your toaster-hating wife is going to react well when she finds out she's been married to one of the Final Five?"

Cally felt the blood drain from her face at those words. Her mind was unable to process it for a few moments, refusing to accept the truth. But the chagrined look on Galen's face…her husband's face…made her realize this was the truth. The man she'd married, the man she'd loved…was a Cylon.

She leaned on the door, her knees going weak as this hit her. As she did, the door began to swing open. She leapt back but it was too late as the four people in the room were all staring at her in various forms of shock. Without thinking, Cally turned and began running away, racing down the hall as fast as she could. The ship shook under another blast, knocking her off her feet and she scrambled to get back up. She looked around, desperate for someone to help her but the hall was now deserted, everyone at battle stations.

"Cally!" She turned to see Tory moving toward her, the woman's face calm as she held up her hands. "Cally…listen….None of us knew until-"

"You stay the frak away from me!" Cally screamed as she backed up. "All of you…all this time….Galen…" She knew tears were in her eyes and it fueled the anger she was holding, that she was losing control in front of this…thing.

Tory licked her lips. "Cally…Galen doesn't want to hurt you. We don't want to hurt anyone. We don't understand how this happened either."

"Liar!" Cally spat at her as she backed up, her face flushed with rage. "I…all this time, laughing at me…At all of us…"

Tory moved closer. "Cally…Please, let's just talk about this, let's…

She was cut off as the wall behind Cally exploded inward. Cally screamed out as the vacuum of space started to pull at her. She reached to grab a pillar but her grip was already weakening. She felt a hand grip her forearm and looked up to see Tory holding onto her, the other hand gripping a pillar of her own. The grip was far stronger than it should have been, reminding Cally of what this woman was. They stared at each other wordlessly as the suction of the hole pulled Cally off her feet, hanging her in mid-air.

Then, with the corners of her lips pulling into a small smile, Tory let go and with a scream, Cally was sucked away into the hole, into space.

Alarms were blaring as a blast door finally activated, shutting off the hallway in front of Tory. She fell back, heaving for air as Galen came up behind her. "Cally!" he called out, pounding on the door. "Cally, no!"

Tory swallowed. "I tried…I tried to hold on…but it was too much, she was fighting me…" She did her best to look crestfallen but needn't have worried as the Chief was too overcome with grief to notice the air of satisfaction around her.

* * *

Kara spun around to avoid a blaster bolt before rushing at one Khund vessel. She headed directly toward it, ignoring the fire coming at her. She ducked at the last moment to fire off a beam that sliced at the bottom of the ship, letting it cut open as she moved past it. She flew off as the ship cracked in two, flames erupting as it drifted apart.

Starbuck paused in space to see the remaining Khund vessels begin to regroup. With a flash, they seemed to turn into streaking shapes before vanishing into space, retreating away. "Looks like they're turning tail."

"Khund may not be smart, but they know when it's a losing fight," Guy told her as he flew up to her. He glanced at Kara, his smile fading. "You've been worrying Jordan and a lot of other folks, lady."

"I know," Kara said as she glanced to the _Galactica_. "Come on, you might as well meet the Admiral." She used her ring to connect to the battlestar's communication systems. "Sir, it's Starbuck. Hostiles are gone and I think you'll want to meet the guys who helped us out."

There was a pause before Adama's voice came through. _"Roger, Starbuck. Be aware, we took some casualties."_

"Anything serious on the main ship?"

There was another pause before a sigh and Kara knew she wasn't going to like the answer.

* * *

Minutes earlier, the vacuum of space welcomed Cally. She could feel the chill begin to surround her, her eyes taking in the chaos of the battle but not really caring. She was beyond that now, she was about to die and she knew it. She didn't feel afraid, not really. She felt anger. No, not just anger, rage, pure, unadulterated rage. Against Tory, obviously. Against Galen for deceiving her for so long. Against Tigh, keeping such a secret that she knew would devastate the Admiral. Against Sam, for Kara. Hell, against Hot Dog even and the baby that was a reminder of her weakness.

She felt it rather ironic that in her last seconds of life, she'd be filled with a hate capable of keeping her alive for a while.

It took a moment for her to realize the chill was vanishing from her body. Indeed, she was suddenly feeling hot, blazing hot, as if her anger had become an inner furnace igniting within her. The red in her vision wasn't ire, it was actually there, surrounding her in a bubble hidden under the hull of _Galactica._ Dumbly, Cally stared at a red ring floating in the space before her and from nowhere, a voice spoke.

**"Callandra Henderson Tyrol of Caprica. Your heart is filled with great rage. **

**Welcome to the Red Lantern Corps."**

* * *

**This turned out a bit longer than expected, but hopefully worth it. **


	12. Shadowy Warnings

**Lighting the Path**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Author's note: In case you were wondering, no, I will not be rewriting this whole story to reflect DC's upcoming "reboot," it'll stand as is. **

**Shadowy Warnings**

* * *

_There is a city._

_A glorious and singular place. Old and yet pristine. Ornate and yet streamlined. A metropolis of now and then and never was. _

_It was founded by a man with riches amassed mining in Australia. It was that which gave the city its name, a name that fit it perfectly. A gem lovely, not as bright as others but deeper, catching light and darkness within itself. It fit this city, a city with no suburbs, ocean on one side, plains to another. There are shadows about but light as well, a feeling that no other city can match._

_And so Opal City stands, glorious and singular._

_Once it was defended by a champion of gaudy color and brightness. He is gone now as is his son. Another took the mantle, not as bright but a champion nonetheless. Armed with a device that could draw power from the heavens, he defended this city, this Opal, with pride and his own unique style. He did not fall in battle but rather decided his blood and children were more important than risking his life for his city. And so he put down that weapon and left to blaze a trail less bright but far more satisfying._

_Opal has its defenders still. There is a clan of police officers, a family to whom the law is not a job but a calling. There is a man of great strength and hard attitude. And there is another…To call him champion is not truly accurate (and would amuse him to no end to be referred as thus) but a defender of a city he has loved longer than anyone can imagine. _

_It is a city of shadows and light. Of past and future. And one place in particular where both come together…_

* * *

No matter how many times he ran, Jay Garrick always felt the rush like it was 1940 again and he'd just been through that wild lab accident.

Some would think that a man capable of running at the speed of sound would see the world as one big blur. It was actually quite the opposite as the cars and people of Opal appeared to be standing still as he whizzed by them. A businessman in mid-bite of a bagel. A skateboarder hanging in the air, feet inches off his board as he took a jump off a railing. A woman reaching forward as her bag of groceries came loose in her hands (Jay paused a millisecond to help right it before going on). All of it in amazing detail that he was able to check out and appreciate even as he raced on. Most never even knew he was there, a blur of red, blue and silver with a brushing wind.

He finally came to a stop before the address he'd been looking for, a cloud of dust flowing by his feet as he paused. He was clad in the same costume he'd worn for decades: Blue pants with a red sweatshirt, a yellow lightning bolt scrawled across the chest. His head was covered by a silver steel cap with yellow wings attached to the sides just as wings were on his red boots. He looked much younger than his true age, a man in his '50's with grey at his temples and in his brown hair. Besides the same magics others in the JSA had been exposed to, his connection to the Speed Force, the energies that granted all speedsters their powers, had slowed his aging as well.

Jay took a deep breath of the crisp night air. As much as he hated to admit it, age was catching up to the first man to call himself the Flash. He could remember how his home of Keystone had been a rather small and quiet city once, not the bustling metropolis it now was with Central City across the river. He remembered a time he could outrun nearly anything but today there were cars able to give him a good match. Still, he was able to race most anywhere he wanted, which saved a lot of time for him.

He heard the billowing of air above him and looked up to see Alan Scott hover down to the street. He had recovered from his ordeal at the hands of Johnny Sorrow, his bruises already healed. Green Lantern lowered himself to the ground, the light green glow around him fading. "Jay, glad you could make it."

"I get an odd message from her, I know I have to come." Jay looked around with a melancholy look in his eye. "Haven't been back here since Ted's memorial service."

Alan nodded in sympathy. Ted Knight had been the first Starman, the hero of Opal City and their long-time friend in the JSA. He had ceded that role to his oldest son David but when David was killed, Ted's other son, Jack, had taken on the mantle. Ted had bravely sacrificed his life to help save the city and Jack had decided to retire and leave the city afterward. Both men still mourned their teammate as friends of that era were far fewer now.

"We haven't used that old JSA box in years," Alan stated. "Hard to imagine who would have found it, let alone sent us a letter through it." He was glancing around with suspicion, his ring glowing. "Could be an old foe luring us into a trap."

"I scouted the area out," Jay told him. "I didn't spot anyone."

"That still leaves the question as to who would have done this."

"Oh, now, who doesn't love a dramatic entrance?"

The two heroes whirled around to see the shadows of a nearby alley grow in size, seeming to cover the opening of the alleyway. A shape flowed out of it, the shadows seeming to melt off him to form the shape of a tall and thin man. The blackness seemed to melt into his body, forming a suit of the Victorian-era style, the coat flowing like a cape behind him with ruffled collar and thick buttoned sleeves at the wrists. His hands were clad in black gloves with black shoes, his vest also black as was his tie, set on a shirt that just lightly skirted being pure black as well. One flash of collar was the gold pocket watch held on a chain at the waistline pocket of his cloak. A black top hat was settled on his head and mirrored glasses were settled on his sharp nose. In his gloved hands was held a cane with a raven's head-shaped handle which he leaned upon. His skin was pale, the lips turned in a dark smile as he spoke in a polished British accent. "Gentlemen. Welcome to Opal."

It had been over a century and a half since the dark man before them had gone by the name of Richard Swift. To him, that man died in the same dark mystical tragedy in 1838 that transformed him into a being of shadow. He had gone by many names since but the one he was best known by was simply the Shade. He had been a villain in the 1940's, clashing often with the heroes of the time, particularly Jay. And yet this immortal gentleman had been working to aid Jack Knight in the last several years to defend Opal, a city always close to his heart.

Jay and Alan were both on alert but the Shade held up a hand. "Please, gentlemen. While I am uncertain if I can still be called a man, I can assure you, I am not the man I once was."

Alan narrowed his eyes. "After all the times we fought, Shade, you want us to believe totally you've reformed?"

"Reformed?" the Shade chuckled. "What a charming notion. Whatever else you know of me, Sentinel, you know I never commit acts of violence in Opal unless the need calls for it."

"It's Green Lantern again," Alan told him, arms crossed.

The Shade raised an eyebrow. "Really? You know they used to call you 'Green Latrine' in the Injustice Society?"

"Shade," Jay interrupted. "Why have you called us here?"

"Seeing as I lack a direct line to the Justice League," the Shade began. "I thought you two would be the best choice to pass along the message."

"Which is?"

"I believe our hostess is more prepared than I to divulge that secret," the Shade twirled his cane in his hands before walking up the steps to the brownstone. Exchanging a look, Jay and Alan followed. The Shade rapped his cane twice on the door and it opened on its own accord, allowing the trio to enter. The hallway was dark with candles set about and a light glowing from a room at the far end. The Shade led the way to it, the room much brighter with lamps lit around to show the nice décor. The center of the room was a round table with five chairs, the light from above illuminating the woman sitting at the front of the table.

She was quite beautiful with long dark hair and wearing a loose brown dress, a variety of rings on her fingers and a gold collar with large earrings. Her eyes were covered by a blindfold. However, Alan and Jay knew full well that Madame Xanadu didn't need her eyes to see. The mystic had been a powerful seer for several years until the Specter went wild and burned out her eyes. His magic had prevented them from growing but she still maintained her fantastic gift for foreseeing the future and used it to aid heroes at times.

"Flash," she said in her smooth and cultured tone. "Green Lantern. A pleasure to have you here once more."

"Madame," Jay nodded. "I admit, we were surprised to hear from you. Don't you turn to the Shadowpact for supernatural threats?"

"They are busy," Xanadu said as she shuffled a pack of tarot cards in her hands. "And this warning pertains more to your side of the world than mine." She slid the cards through her fingers. "And this warning is not truly mine. It is his."

For the first time, Alan and Jay realized someone else was in the room. He stepped fully into the light, a handsome man in a loose sweater, coat and slacks, his hair mostly red with a streak of white going through it. His face was handsome but in a sour expression as he looked at the two heroes. "I still don't feel comfortable about this," he said in a crisp voice with traces of a British accent. His eyes gazed at the others, eyes far, far older than the man's face.

"Jason Blood?" Jay asked in confusion. "What are you doing here?"

"Delivering a message," Blood stated. "Or rather…he is." He took a deep breath and seemed to brace himself.

"Oh, God," Jay whispered, realizing what was about to happen.

The Shade merely raised an eyebrow. "I am of the utmost certainty God has very little to do with what we're about to witness."

Blood closed his eyes as he began to speak. "Change! Change, o form of man! Release the might from fleshy mire!"

The temperature of the room suddenly rose as if someone had turned the furnace up full blast.

"Boil the blood in heart of fire!"

Smoke suddenly rose from Blood's skin, his clothing, his hair, yet there were no flames to be felt.

_"Gone! Gone! The Form of man…"_

Now flames appeared, washing over the man as his body began to bend and shake, glowing from within.

_"Rise the Demon…"_

With a final flash, the being before them was transformed. No longer was it a human but a squat figure with yellow scaly skin, clad in a bizarre red costume with bare legs and blue boots with a long blue cape flowing behind him. His bare hands ended in long sharp claws and his stout, inhuman head was marked by a pair of ears that extended like bat wins from his head which also boasted a pair of horns. Its eyes were pupiless and glowed red as it let out an inhuman roar.

_"ETRIGAN!"_

During the fall of Camelot, the wizard Merlin had summoned the demon Etrigan from the bowels of Hell in hopes that his knowledge could prevent the disaster to come. It had failed, leaving the demon loose upon Earth. In hopes of containing the monster, Merlin had bonded it to a shopkeeper named Jason Blood. Blood had been alive ever since but considered it a curse, not a gift, as he would have to share with this monstrosity. He had carved a path as a noted demonologist…which was rather easy when one had first-hand experience with the subject.

Alan automatically raised his ring, the energies forming a shield before him as Jay whirled angrily on the Shade. "Why didn't you tell us he was here?"

"I rather thought it wouldn't be important," the Shade replied, appearing completely nonplussed at this. "I was under the impression it was Blood who was delivering said message not his…well, better half doesn't quite apply in this case, does it?"

Jay shook his head. "I can't believe we' re talking to this…thing."

"Now, now," the Shade waved a finger at him. "Let's not be judgmental over appearances. He's a rather nice demon. Well, as demons go at any rate. Plus, Blood may be horrible at cards but Etrigan is a fantastic baccarat player. He beat Constantine and that man is a horrible cheat."

Etrigan's lips pulled into a wide smile as he spread out his clawed hands. "_Please, mortals, 'tis no cause for alarm! For once, foul Etrigan means no harm! Information for you, I wish to send, so to me, your ears attend."_

Alan closed his eyes in pain. "I always forget the damn rhyming…"

"I know," the Shade chimed in sympathetically. "It reminds me a bit too much of Wilde in his more morose periods."

Etrigan leapt onto the back of one of the chairs, his bulky frame managing to balance itself well. _"I sense this be not the first time thou has dealt with a devil. Life must sometimes be played on that base level." _The smile faded as he leaned forward. _"Evil ancient, from dark mists of time, now for unknown reason or rhyme, threatens your world with causes dire, and power that can set Earth afire! When blood be spilled and drank, more are added to their rank but from the stars so far in the sky, comes the force that cannot die!"_

As always, trying to understand the bizarre rhyming speak of the demon was tricky but the two veteran heroes managed to process it after a few moments. "What threat?" Jay asked. "And what do you mean, they can't die?"

_"A correction there, I must note, before my words be finally wrote. Die they can, die they have but the final darkness they cannot salve. Born of machines they were but lives within are now brighter! Poor fools, they think themselves chosen by God but know not they follow a fraud. A god of darkness and evil pure against whom power even Etrigan cannot endure!"_

"Machines…" Jay muttered. "Unable to die…" His eyes widened. "Wait, you mean the Cylons?"

Alan frowned. "What connection would they have to you, Etrigan? You're a demon, you don't have anything to do with space."

The demon scoffed, smoke flowing from his nostrils. "_Men of science, what fools ye truly be, believing you know all there is to see! The universe be vast, of many planes and few can fathom how much they contain. From a dead and distant star, traveled long and far, comes a intellect of death whom cannot stand mortal breath. All life be its enemy and in its eyes none be worthy. Cities captured, worlds destroyed, all to this creature 'tis enjoyed! Its army hath already been sent to cause such grief and torment, though they know not of their creator, the task they have they do not waver. To Earth, they will soon come and all might be undone! This hastens my warning call for if Earth do fall, Hell itself shalt become too crowded for Etrigan's joy to be shouted."_

"What threat?" Jay pressed. "Dammit, be clear for once!"

The inhuman face returned to its twisted smile. _"Oh, come, man of fast feet, what hope thou have of making Etrigan browbeat? I share what I can but cannot be too clear. After all, my reputation I do hold dear. The future is untold, even to me, although you might ask she who cannot see." _He nodded toward Xanadu, who was sitting at the table placing her cards down. _"A hero, I be not, much like he in the dark ascot."_

"It's a collarbund," the Shade automatically snapped.

Etrigan leapt down to his feet. _"Said what I have, my message be done. And so the time has come, to bid farewell to one and all, use my knowledge to prevent Earth's fall! Now, gone, gone, foul Etrigan, return once more the form of man!"_

The glow surrounded him once more, along with the blasting of smoke and a cry of pain. It faded to show Jason Blood kneeling on the floor, heaving for breath. He slowly rose up, brushing at his clothing as smoke drifted off him. "I swear, he makes it so painful on purpose…" he muttered.

Alan took a moment to process all he'd seen before stepping forward. "Can you help clarify that?"

Blood shook his head. "My control is stronger lately but Etrigan still manages to cut off his mind from me at certain points. He knows full well what's coming but he'll still choose chaos over order any day so he won't detail more."

"Perhaps there is more to that," Xanadu stated from the table. "Perhaps, he was unable to properly tell of the future to come."

All four men looked to her. "Madame, I enjoy a nicely melodramatic delivery as much as anyone," the Shade began. "But I daresay we've had all the theatrics for a single evening."

Xanadu was shuffling her cards before laying them down. With a flutter, several of them began to float upward, flying around in circles. "The future is ever changing, gentlemen," she began. "Some things are set in stone but others…others appear and fade without warning." She touched a card that showed an image of one caped figure holding another. "This future appeared to be coming toward us…but now…" As they watched, the image faded until the card was blank. "Something has happened to alter it."

She let a dozen cards fly upward, twirling about to show the images of costumed figures Jay and Alan found familiar and yet...different. Wonder Woman in long pants and a jacket; the Titan member Cyborg in much bulkier armor; the Teen Titans in rather outlandish costumes; a red-haired Batgirl; and more. "This future appeared without warning," Xanadu continued. "I was surprised to see such a widespread change coming, usually there is more preamble first. However, it seems this future, as well, is changing."

"I should hope so," the Shade said. "Those outfits are atrocious. I did my best to avoid the 1960's and '70's, I'd rather hate to endure another horrid wardrobe period."

"Why?" Jay demanded. "Why has this changed?"

"That, I can answer." She lifted up one card and slowly turned it over to show the features of a beautiful but strong blonde-haired woman in a uniform.

"Kara Thrace," Alan whispered, recognizing her from their brief meeting days before.

Xanadu nodded. "This woman and her people have altered the landscape dramatically. What was may now never be. Although some things may stay." She shuffled through the cards. "Etrigan is right, something is coming. Something dark and powerful, a threat against all in this world and others." She turned her sightless eyes toward Jay as she lifted up a card from the deck. "One event is coming. One that cannot be changed. One who has passed the veil between worlds is about to return. And his coming in fire and lightning will be the crux upon which our fates lie."

She flipped the card over to show a symbol. It was a white circle set upon red with a yellow lightning bolt through it. It was familiar to anyone, the symbol of the Flash. But this seemed different than the one worn by Wally West. It was a bit larger, more oval and a bit old-styled as well. To some, those difference were minute but Jay Garrick recognized them and his eyes went wide as he realized what it meant.

"Barry."

* * *

Kyle Rayner was not a man who let himself get afraid easily. He felt it, that was only natural, it was what set him apart from the rest of the Corps, he hadn't been chosen because he was able to overcome fear but because he was just in the right place at the right time. However, it had been felt that his knowledge of fear actually gave him an edge, such as his ability to resist Parallax the first time it attacked. In his time as a hero, he had faced villains, monsters, the odd God and more horrifying threats and managed to keep himself alive and sane. And yet, he couldn't help but feel trepidation crawling up his spine as he hovered before the cell in front of him.

The Science Cells had been a part of Oa for some time but this new wing had just been built. It was tougher, designed to be even more difficult to break out. Each cell was specially constructed for their specific prisoner, designed to react to any abilities their species had in escape attempts and counter them. It may have seemed excessive to some but if there was one thing the Corps had learned the hard way, it was that the Sinestro Corps were more than willing to do whatever it took to get what they wanted.

He paused before the cell, the highest one in the chamber, taking a deep breath. He knew the occupant sensed his presence. He highly suspected the man had been waiting for him. The light was dim to show the figure inside. He was clad in the same pants as the rest of the Corps of fear, a mirror image of the GLC uniforms only yellow instead of green with a different symbol. His shirt was off, showing his purple skin, his back marked with a large scar shaped like the GLC symbol. He straightened as he felt Kyle's presence before turning around.

Thaal Sinestro still appeared the almost regal figure he had been in his prime as a Green Lantern. He was handsome with sharp pointed ears, a thin mustache across his upper lip, his head more pointed than a human's with black hair cut so it seemed to point at his forehead. His eyes were black as his lips turned up in the sneer that had made him famous. "Hello, Rayner," he said. "I was wondering when you were going to visit."

"You knew I would?" Kyle asked, arms crossed, forcing himself to appear calm. It was hard not to look at Sinestro without feeling the anger of what this man had done to him. As if causing the death of Kyle's mother wasn't enough, Sinestro had used that to infect him with Parallax, turning Kyle into a monster attacking the Corps. Kyle tried to settle that anger down, knowing it was what Sinestro wanted to see.

"Jordan already dropped in," Sinestro stated as he rose up. "I knew it was only a matter of time when you would arrive." He smirked. "So what is it? Asking why I killed your mother? Why I used you? Why I would choose to give up the sacred responsibility of the Corps."

"Nah, I racked all those up to you being an evil twisted psycho probably dropped on that big head of yours a few times when you were a kid," Kyle said in a nonchalant tone. He felt sarcasm a good way to deflect Sinestro's arrogance as Hal had told him the man had always had a low threshold for it. That appeared to still be true from the hard gaze Sinestro gave him.

"Then what brings you by?" Sinestro asked as he crossed his own arms to mirror Kyle's stance (and, Kyle had to admit, looking far more formidable that way).

Kyle bit his lip before speaking. "We know you've traveled further than other Lanterns. You've seen things most of them haven't, things the Guardians might not even know about."

That smirk grew wider. "Ah, it's so refreshing to finally have the Corps recognize they're not perfect."

Kyle steadied himself again. "We want to know if you've ever heard of something called Cylons."

Sinestro just raised an eyebrow. "Even if I had, what makes you think I'll tell you? I'm on Death Row, Rayner. The first such area Oa has ever created. What possible incentive would I have to cooperate?"

Kyle shrugged. "You're always boasting of knowing more than us. Why not let some of that out to prove it?"

The alien scoffed. "Playing to my ego? A pedestrian tactic, Rayner."

Kyle shrugged again, as if it was no consequence. "Yeah, I told Hal it was no use but he wanted me to try anyway."

The smirk returned and Kyle knew he had him. If years in the JLA had taught him anything, it was that super-villains had an unhealthy need to respond to their foes. Luthor with Superman, Joker with Batman, it was like that all over and made sense that Sinestro would react to Hal's name. "Hmmmm. I cannot tell you of the Cylons directly, Rayner. But…I do know of something that may be of interest." He moved forward, coming right up to the energy shield that formed the end of his cell, his eyes focused on Kyle. The younger man fought every instinct to float back a few inches as Sinestro smiled.

"There is something out there, Rayner. Something coming soon. A darkness is about to enshroud this universe, one those foolish blue immortals are unprepared for. You know how they are, Rayner. Sitting in their citadel, convinced only they know how to govern this universe, taking no one else's opinions into account, dictating to all under them…"

"Are you describing the Guardians or yourself?" Kyle interrupted. "Listen, I've heard the whole 'we have to become the law to enforce the law' line time and again, so I'm not buying your justifications."

Sinestro appeared nonplussed by his words. "All I've done…is to help the Corps, Rayner. I loved the Corps with all my heart, never, ever doubt that."

"Yeah, the twenty or thirty times you tried to wipe it out prove that."

Sinestro's eyes narrowed. "They have to be made stronger, Rayner. That is the only way they, or any of us, will survive what is to come. Make no mistake, a night is about to fall upon us all. And when it does, this universe shall never be the same again."

He turned his back and moved to the rear of his cell, sitting down on the ground once more. Kyle stared at him before releasing his breath, floating back down to the ground. The chill remained in his bones, something he hadn't felt since the night he'd delivered the Joker back to Arkham. It would have been easy to dismiss Sinestro's words as the typical beaten bad-guy ranting. But Kyle knew this man was smarter than that and not one to give in easily to defeat. And when a man like that warned you of something even worse coming…it was time to listen and maybe even be afraid.

* * *

**The opening is my humble tribute to James Robinson's classic "Starman," still one of the greatest comics ever published. I know, a lack of Kara here but laying seeds for other things to come, thanks for staying with. **

**BTW, check out the Green Lantern movie, nowhere near as bad as critics say and does a pretty good job bringing the character to life. **


	13. Hard Operations

**Lighting the Path**

**By Michael Weyer**

**Hard Operations**

* * *

Looking back, Clark Kent had to admit to being rather naive when he started his career as Superman. He chalked it up to inexperience and the boost of using his powers openly after so long in hiding. He'd become convinced he could clean up any city as well as he did Metropolis. But then he'd visited Gotham and quickly learned some cities had a different take to crime fighting. He'd noticed it in some areas. The Flash had long talked of how his Rogues were more dangerous as they were organized and smarter then they seemed while Opal had its unique defenders. Gotham, however, was a city where corruption ran so deep it was basically ingrained in the city psyche. There were many good people but it was still a struggle to stem the overwhelming tide. As much as he disliked it, Clark had to admit that someone like Batman was far better protecting Gotham than a bright hero like himself.

In the daytime, Gotham wasn't as bad, a regular working class city, filled with people in business suits. Thus, few gave him a second glance as he made his way through the offices of Wayne Enterprises and to a large suite. "Hello, Clark Kent, _Daily Planet,_" he told the secretary. "I had an appointment?"

She nodded as she took the phone to call. After a moment, she nodded. "You can go right in, Mr. Kent."

He entered the large office, a well-furnished place with a bookshelf on one wall and various portraits set about. A large window showed off the city with a fine view of the landscape. Two men were inside, one a black man in a nice suit who was going over folders at the desk. Before the desk, stood the handsome form every Gotham resident knew, adjusting his stance as he pulled back on the golf club in his hand. "I think this is just the set, Lucius. Put an order on it at once," he said in a jovial tone.

The few people who knew of his secret life had come to an intriguing conclusion that Batman was the reverse secret identity. When he took on his costume, he was his true self while his "normal" persona was the mask. In many ways, Bruce Wayne had died the same moment as his parents and the dark avenger he would become had taken over. The very few who knew the details of that fateful night might have drawn some obvious conclusions as the Waynes had come back from a showing of _The Mark of Zorro_ when they were waylaid by thief Joe Chill_. _Surely the tale of a man who posed as an idle fop while fighting injustice as a costumed avenger weighed heavily on the mind of a grief-stricken young boy.

Clark Kent had to admit the act was good. He knew first-hand how tricky it was masking your true self. Thankfully, he'd caught a break as the decision not to wear a mask meant the general public didn't think Superman even _had _another identity. Raising his voice a few octaves, wearing clothes two sizes too large, adjusting his stance and slicking back his hair did a lot to complete the picture while glasses always helped a person seem less threatening. But with Bruce Wayne, it was far different and even more effective as anyone looking at him now wouldn't dream he was Gotham's intense, brilliant protector.

He looked up as Clark entered. "Ah, Mr. Kent, right? Good to have you drop by." He nodded to the other man. "You remember Lucius?"

Clark shook hands with Lucius Fox, the executive most knew as the real "brains" of Wayne Industries. As far as Wall Street was concerned, without Fox, Wayne would have gone broke years before with his frivolous attitude toward life and money. "I hope I'm not interrupting."

"Not at all," Lucius replied in an easygoing tone. "I was just trying to talk to Bruce about some of the shifting funds in our technology departments."

"I'm sure it's nothing, Lucius," Bruce said in a nonchalant tone. "One of those little budget shakeups or accounting mistakes. I'm sure you can handle it."

Lucius rolled his eyes but managed to smile. "I'll let you handle the interview then, Bruce." He nodded to Clark before leaving the room. Bruce waited a moment before rising up and looking to Clark. "This couldn't wait?"

The transformation was astounding. In the blink of an eye, the absent-minded playboy had vanished and Batman was there. The eyes lost their lazy look to become razor sharp, the jaw hardening and the voice slipping to a rasp. No matter how many times he saw it, Clark was still thrown by how easily Batman was able to make the whole act work so well.

"Hal got a message from Guy," he said. "They found Starbuck."

"Where?"

"About forty light-years from Earth."

"Closer than we thought," Batman mused. "If this 'jump' technology is as good as she said…it wouldn't take much for them to come here."

"Guy said he'd try to handle it."

Batman snorted. "Gardner trying diplomacy? We both know there's no use of that, Clark."

"I agree he's never the best choice to lead a situation," Clark acknowledged. "But he's the one on the scene now."

"I'd rather they send Kyle."

"Again, he's busy elsewhere." Clark sighed. "Bruce, I know you have your issues with the Corps but the fact is, the universe is a lot more than just Gotham."

"Not to me," Batman replied as he moved behind the desk. "I don't like cosmic stuff, Clark, you know that."

"I'm aware," Clark smiled. "But it looks like sooner or later, that fleet is coming to us. We have to get ready for them."

"They're not who I'm worried about," Batman snapped. "I don't like the idea of some force of robots bringing their war to our world."

"It won't come to that."

Batman snorted. "That farmboy nature is going to be the death of you, Clark."

"I've been dead already. I know better."

Before Clark could retort, there was a loud beeping from his desk. Frowning, he moved to slide open a panel, removing a small data pad. Touching it, he spoke up. "Batman."

A voice echoed from the pad. _"Bruce? It's Barbara. We have a situation." _

Once the heroine known as Batgirl, Barbara Gordon's career had been cut short when the Joker shot her, shattering her spine. She had transformed herself into Oracle, the premier computer hacker and information source for the super-hero community. It was rather ironic that despite being in a wheelchair, she'd become a greater force for good than in costume.

"What is it?" Batman asked.

_"I just heard from Dick. He's got a line on the Brotherhood here in Gotham. He trailed them to a warehouse on the docks and was going in but I haven't heard from him in the last ten minutes."_

"Give me the location," Bruce said. "I'm en route." He terminated the call and moved to his desk, pausing to look up at Clark. "You care to lend a hand?"

"Against the Brotherhood?" Superman nodded. "I'll be happy to."

Batman reached to a bust of William Shakespeare set on the shelf behind him. He bent the head back and pulled a switch hidden underneath. A section of the wall slid open to reveal what looked like a pod. "No pole?" Clark asked.

Batman looked at him like he was an idiot. "We're fifty stories up." He entered the pod, which then dropped down a long tunnel as the wall slid shut. Shaking his head, Clark left the office and started looking for the nearest supply closet.

* * *

**Fifteen minutes earlier…**

The interior of the warehouse resembled a charnel pit, both in content and the smell. Men in dark uniforms were strewn about in various stages of death. One seemed to have had his neck squeezed so tight, it was compressed like an accordion. Another had his head twisted completely around while a second had been thrown into a pillar so hard, he was shattered in half. Three of them were lying on the floor with faces contorted in utter terror, so great that it had seized their hearts. One body seemed to have somehow been merged into a pillar as if somehow teleported into it. A smoking pile of purple goo with traces of clothing indicated what had once been a gunman. Compared to all those, the bodies shot through with a high-powered assault rifle seemed downright natural in their demise.

A lot could be said about the Brotherhood of Evil but they could never be accused of not trying to live up to their name.

_"As bracing as this little to-do was_," an electronic voice laced with malice spoke up. "_I would urge us to get on_ _with our business_." The voice came from a canister that resembled a life-sized chess piece with a metallic face plate designed to look sinister with dark eyes and mouth. The top of the canister contained a Plexiglas dome that housed a throbbing human brain with various electrodes attached to it. Despite being in such a condition, the Brain was as twisted a mad scientist as the world had ever seen and the leader of the Brotherhood.

That was shown off by the being holding him. It was basically an oversize gorilla wearing a red beret with a bandolier of bullets around his chest and a large rifle in his hand. "The resistance was greater than we expected, Brain," Monsieur Mallah stated in a deep voice that sounded more like a rumble. The result of genetic experimentation, the talking ape was the Brain's loyal follower and gladly carried his master around.

"Ah, zis was no trouble at all," said Warp. His thick French accent showed his origins as he paced, clad in thick yellow armor that covered him from head to toe. His faceplate was clear, showing his weasel-like features with pencil-thin mustache and a seemingly permanent smirk. The teleporter was light on his feet, his armor offering flight as well as protection if his teleporting powers failed him.

"Especially when one keeps out of the fight for the most part," Phobia smirked. The beautiful Englishwoman paced in an elegant green and black costume, the black cowl covering her entire head to show her face while the green cape billowed behind her. She stood by Houngan, the black-skinned Haitian clad in his witch doctor's outfit of gold leggings and bracelets, red bands across his naked chest that hooked onto his red and white shorts. His head was covered in an elaborate headdress with a white mask, gold horns and a huge red fan behind his neck. Their dual powers to create fears and the voodoo arts made them a formidable pair with the mind.

"Now, no, do not be so rude to our comrade," Plasmus grumbled. "Some of us are better to handle firepower than others." The floor smoked under his every step, his body a hulking mass of purple protoplasm with only black shorts as his clothing. An accident that turned him into this walking radioactive monster had also warped his mind. His only joy came with passing on his "gift," his touch capable of turning a human being into a pile of smoking protoplasm in minutes.

"Can we knock this off already?" Gemini complained. The teenage sociopath was wearing a form-fitting leather suit with metallic armor over her legs and arms, her cleavage shown off with a black collar. Her face was beautiful, framed by long black hair but also cruel. She was in her regular form, having used her shapeshifting skills to deal with the guards before. While the youngest member of the Brotherhood, she more than matched them in cruelty. "I wanna hit a party later on."

_"What we seek should be in that crate there."_ The Brain did his best to nod (which meant shifting his cylinder slightly) toward a large crate in the corner. Mallah carefully placed the Brain down on another crate. "Are you well here, Brain?" he asked in a surprisingly tender voice. "I could not stand to harm you in any way.

_"Your touch, as always, is smooth, Mallah." _Behind them, the other members of the Brotherhood exchanged glances. Even for a group as twisted as they were, the idea of the disembodied brain and the talking gorilla being in love was a bit disturbing. _"But your brute strength is what is required now."_

Nodding, Mallah reached over and pulled on the crate, grunting as he yanked it off the floor. He moved to the center of the warehouse, placing it down carefully. Warp studied it for a moment, measuring it in his mind. "Weight?"

"I would say in the seven hundred pound range," the gorilla answered.

Warp nodded. "It will not take long to transport zis to our base."

"Do it fast," Phobia commanded. "I'm dying for a long bubble bath where I can enjoy the terror I felt in those men."

Houngan grinned. "One would think working for the Demon's Head would mean being of sterner stuff."

"Then maybe I can provide it."

The Brotherhood was just reacting to the strong voice when a pair of discus-shaped objects flew through the air. One smacked into Phobia's temple, knocking her down, stunned. The other whirled around Houngan, wrapping his arms tightly in a thick wire cord. He fell back as the others whirled about, gazing at a figure standing high upon a stack of crates.

He was a handsome man in his twenties clad in a tight black bodysuit with streaks of blue across his chest. A domino mask shaped like a bird's wings covered his eyes and his black hair hung loose. In each hand he held an eskrimac stick, prepared to use them. A face normally known for smiles was now hard and serious as he stared down at the Brotherhood.

"Nightwing," Mallah growled.

For Bruce Wayne, his war on crime was a crusade. For Dick Grayson, it was more an adventure. Despite also seeing his parents killed before his eyes, the young man didn't feel the overwhelming crush for battle like his mentor did. But he still burned for justice and, recognizing a kindred spirit, Batman had taken him in, trained him and made him the first Robin. For years, the Dynamic Duo had fought crime together but as he grew, Dick realized he didn't want to follow Batman's all or nothing life in crime fighting. Breaking apart, he established a new identity to try and step out of his mentor's shadow, yet kept being pulled back into the life despite himself.

"So, the acrobat still pursues us?" Plasmus snarled.

"After what you did to Bludhaven, I'd follow you all to hell and back," Nightwing snapped. The city he'd made his base of operations had been a hamlet so dirty and corrupt, it made Gotham look like Metropolis. But no matter how bad it was, it hadn't deserved to be wiped off the face of the earth. That was exactly what happened when the Brotherhood had dropped Chemo, a monstrous being of deadly chemicals from a cargo plane, setting off a blast that not only destroyed Bludhaven but rendered what was left a poisonous wasteland. While Dick had been busy reestablishing himself in New York, he'd never stopped finding clues to where the Brotherhood might be.

With a roar, Mallah raised his assault rifle and let out a burst of automatic fire. With the skill instilled in him since he could walk, Nightwing leapt up, somersaulting over the barrage and lashing his foot out to smash into Warp's face. The Frenchman was stunned as Nightwing moved, smashing his sticks into Mallah's rifle, sending it flying away. The gorilla lunged forward and Nightwing dodged, rolling on the floor and rising up to throw a band of pellets through the air. They smacked into Mallah's chest, unleashing a cloud of vapor. Before he could stop himself, the gorilla inhaled enough sedatives to knock out a bull elephant. He stumbled, coughed and then fell to the floor.

_"Warp, now!" _The Brain called out. Nodding, the armored man concentrated and from his head emitted a ray of energy. It struck the empty space in the middle of the warehouse, forming a large portal. A trio of shapes could be seen within it before the portal faded. Once it had, Nightwing realized the odds are just shifted worse than he expected.

The largest of the three was a hulking muscleman in a large muscle shirt opened at the chest, fatigue pants and a black and white mask covering his head with large red eyeholes. His belt carried a strange series of tubes that ran up to the back of his head. Next to him was a woman in a bulky red outfit that resembled a Victorian-era costume with yellow shoulder pads. Her red gloves were encased in gauntlets holding large sharp knives, her face behind a white mask with a long blonde ponytail flowing behind her. The third was a lithe figure in a completely black costume, the red markings on his mask resembling a spider's web.

"Ah, hell," Nightwing muttered.

_"We took the liberty of inviting some old friends of yours to be on standby,"_ the Brain explained, his voice mocking through the electric box. _"As I understand it, Bane, Lady Vick and Tarantula drew the longest straws to get a crack at you."_

Bane reached to his gauntlet, pressing a button. The pack on his belt whined and the tubes shimmered as a green and yellow liquid poured into his neck. His body swelled, muscles bulging, his size growing and sinews tight, the drug known as Venom turning him into a powerhouse. Next to him, Lady Vick clashed her metal knives together, smirking. "Been too long, luv," the former British aristocrat smirked. Tarantula was silent as he moved into a fighting stance.

Instead of seeming worried, Dick smiled as he heard a familiar whine coming close. "That's fine by me, Brain. I invited company too."

The roar echoed louder, everyone looking to the far side of the warehouse. The large metal doors smashed inward as a car roughly the size of a small tank blasted inward, its front shaped like a bat-shaped battering ram. The Batmobile twisted around, its edge catching Warp, sending him flying back into a wall. In one motion, the car was braked, the top sliding open like an airplane hatch and a caped figure burst out. Batman was moving fast, throwing a Batarang out to wrap around Gemini. The teen shifted her body to slide out of the wires as Batman dodged a blow from Tarantula.

"Ah, I had hoped to see you, Batman!" Bane proclaimed in a thick South American accent. "Breaking your protégé was tempting but you are my true target!" With a speed that belied his size, he raced in, his fist swinging toward Batman. The Dark Knight ducked the blow, punching Bane in the solar plexus. The blow would have brought a normal man to his knees but with the Venom in his veins, Bane just shrugged it off. "I dream of seeing you broken at my feet once more," he growled as he reached to grab at Batman.

"Keep dreaming," Batman grunted as he rolled under Bane's knees. Bane grabbed the edge of his cape and yanked, throwing Batman off balance, allowing Tarantula to kick him in the face. Nearby, Nightwing was dodging Vic's blades, the acrobatic woman doing her best to slice him open. Gemini threw out an arm, stretching it wide to whip at Nightwing's feet. He dodged it nimbly but it left him open for Warp to punch at him, barely avoiding the man's blow.

Phobia was getting back to her feet, still woozy but conscious. She narrowed her eyes as she drew into herself, calling upon her power, prepared to unleash a psychic attack that would reduce both crime fighters to howling wrecks…

The ceiling above smashed apart as a figure in a blue and red costume everyone on the planet knew flew down.

"_Superman?"_ The Brain did an excellent impression of gasping for a being that had no mouth or lungs.

The Man of Steel was already slamming his hands together, creating a shockwave of air that knocked Phobia, Houngan and a recovering Mallah off their feet, flying across the warehouse. Plasmus lunged in, his hands grabbing Superman's chest. "Steel melts before me as well as flesh!" he snarled.

Superman gritted his teeth as the burning sensation washed over his skin. He was not as invulnerable as the media liked to paint him as but was still strong enough to withstand the effects of the corrosive elements longer than most. He thrust back to break Plasmus' hold and took a deep breath. He unleashed it, the wind howling out like a hurricane, blasting the monster hard. Plasmus gasped as he tried to walk forward only to feel the temperature dropping as if he'd been thrown into a freezer unit. His skin began to cool, solidifying despite his efforts and in seconds, he'd been reduced to a frozen statue, eyes peering about wildly.

"Oh, the bloody hell with this!" Lady Vic called out. She had her pride but she knew when she was outmatched. She turned to run but a Batarang whipped around her, holding her tight with a wire. She was yanked back with a yelp as Nightwing moved quickly to smash Tarantula back with a kick.

Bane raced toward Superman, throwing a beefy fist. He took the blow easily, Bane gasping in pain as he felt his knuckles crack against the rock-hard skin. In the blink of an eye, Superman raced behind him, grabbing the tubes on Bane's back and yanking. The mercenary yelled out as he felt the strength-inducing formula spraying out, his body starting to return to normal size. Before he could do more, Superman smacked him with a light blow that knocked him unconscious. Gemini stretched her body around to wrap around Superman with an evil smirk. It faded as he begun to spin around, turning into a whirlwind, Gemini shrieking. As soon as he begun, Superman stopped in place, Gemini flying like a rubber band across the room.

Batman unleashed a combination of punches that knocked Tarantula in a heap on the ground. Nightwing was stalking toward where the Brain rested, his face hard. "I don't know if they can fit the electric chair for you, but I'm more than looking forward to seeing them try."

_"You will not have the chance," _the Brain said.

Nightwing nodded to where Warp lay unconscious on the floor, Superman standing over him. "Your ride's been canceled."

_"Which is why I am always wise to make alternate transportation available." _A humming sound filled the air as each of the villains seemed to shimmer. The Brain let out a cackling electronic laugh as Nightwing lunged forward, too late. In a blur of light, the villains vanished, leaving Batman, Superman and Nightwing alone.

Superman narrowed his eyes, allowing them to access different spectrums. "They used a different teleportation than Warp's."

"Luthor's design, no doubt," Batman noted as he moved to the large crate. "At least they didn't get what they came for."

Nightwing slipped the sticks onto his belt to follow his mentor. "Glad you got my message." He didn't seem to mind Batman seemingly ignoring him, more than used to his partner's moods. "No idea what they were after but it can't be anything we want them to have."

Superman examined the crate carefully. "I'm not detecting any explosives." He reached to undo the top, slowly pulling it open. He stared down, his eyes widening as he gazed at the contents. Batman and Nightwing both joined him, the younger man's jaw dropping and Batman actually seeming thrown.

"Is that…what I think it is?" Nightwing breathed.

"Apparently so," Batman said, his jaw tightening.

Superman took a deep breath. "We need to get this to the JLA fast. And call Hal."

And for a rare time, Batman had no objections to such an action.

* * *

If there was one thing Isamot Kol and Vath Sarn had in common, it was their share of battlefield clean-up. As soon as the Khund were gone, they were moving about the fleet, using their rings to patch up wounded ships and hold them together for repairs. They then went about trying to find those who badly needed aid. They had come across eight bodies, surprisingly low for a Khund attack but still a loss for the fleet. The injured, however, were much larger and one case in particular was quite nasty.

"Dammit," Isamot muttered as he looked at the huge metal barriers fallen on the body underneath. "These things are wedged in tight, not sure I can just blast them apart.

"Cutting will take too long," Vath said as he knelt by the man pinned underneath the wreckage. "And he's losing too much blood."

The handsome young man lay pinned under a huge pile of metal debris, blood at his lips. His arms were free but a pool of blood could be seen gushing from his left leg, red pouring around the green clamp Kol had formed around it. "I can maybe brace it enough to get him out," the lizard-like alien said. "But I can't hold the clamp on him too."

"Dammit, that leg," Isamot cursed as he eyed it. "The damn thing's totally crushed already and the blood loss is slowing us down." He shook his head. "Too bad Soranik isn't here, she could patch it up no problem."

"Yeah, well, surgical prowess wasn't in the training for most of the Corps," his partner replied. "What do we do?"

They both paused, gazing at the leg, then at each other with sad acceptance. "You ever done it?" Sarth asked.

"Twice," Kol nodded. "Benefit of my species, we grow limbs back."

"Yeah, don't think that'll help this poor bastard." Vath knelt down by the man. "Listen…buddy? What's your name?"

The man coughed up blood. "Felix…Felix Gaeta," he managed to rasp out.

"Okay, Felix, I'm not gonna lie," Vath said solemnly. "We're gonna have to cut your leg off." The man's eyes widened as the Green Lantern quickly went on. "You're losing too much blood, we can't hold it in much longer and we need to get you to the medical wing fast. Besides, brutal truth, there's no saving the thing anyhow. We're gonna make it as quick as we can but there's gonna be pain, no avoiding it." He looked at Felix's wide eyes. "I know you're scared, I know you don't want it but we don't have another option. For what it's worth…I'm sorry."

He backed up and took a deep breath before aiming his ring at the pile. A wave slid through the cracks of the lower part of the debris, Vath grunting as he began to lift it up. Steel groaned, threatening to crush more of the hallway but Vath did his best to shield Felix. Kol was getting ready, waiting for just the right moment, knowing he'd need some split-second timing. As soon as the debris had been lifted up enough, the clamp vanished and was transformed into a large sharp green scythe. With a single swipe, Kol brought it down, slicing neatly through Felix's leg just below the knee. The man's howl of agony echoed through the hallway as Kol instantly formed the ring into a clamp, neatly capping off the bloody stump. He grabbed Felix with his free hand and dragged him back, allowing his partner to let the wall of debris fall down.

Felix's face was pale, breathing heave as he started going into shock. Kol lifted him into a bubble as he floated into the air. "I'll get him to their med-bay or whatever they call it."

Vath nodded as the two flew off, going back to the complicated clean-up duty ahead, the haunted face of the young technician already seared into his brain.

* * *

Kara had only known Guy Gardner by reputation. Or perhaps it should be reputations. Among the Corps, he was regarded as a wise-ass but still a damn tough fighter, someone you'd want at your back in a big battle. From what she'd heard on Earth, however, the man was considered an arrogant moron who let his mouth run from him and caused as many disasters as he stopped. She was unsure who the real Guy Gardner was but the one she was getting at the moment may not have been the best version available.

"Lady, if it wasn't for us, you'd be floating in pieces right now!" he snapped at Roslin. They were in Adama's quarters, the Commander himself nearby, his face stoic. Kara could tell he wanted to move, be overseeing the injuries and status of the fleet but the President had demanded his presence here to meet Gardner. Right now, she was hoping she wouldn't have to be breaking up a fight.

"And we're grateful," Roslin coolly responded. She looked a lot worse than the last time Kara had seen her, more haggard and on closer inspection, her smooth red hair was obviously a wig. Even though Kara had been told of her cancer returning, it was still jarring to see the usually strong President so obviously weakened yet unbowed as she glared at Guy. "But that doesn't change the fact we suffered heavy casualties because of some…" She took a deep breath, fighting to actually say the words. "Aliens attacking us."

"Universe is a big and dangerous place, madam President," Guy said. "The Corps tries but we can't be everywhere. Just be happy we were flying by when this hit."

Roslin sighed as she leaned back on the desk. "This fleet has been through the wringer in the last few months. "Baltar's trial, the last few attacks, her return," she nodded at Kara. "Now this…" She bit her lip, looking right at Guy. "You're from Earth?" At his nod, she took a breath. "Give us the coordinates. I want a jump course plotted immediately."

Guy crossed his arms. "Not gonna happen."

Roslin narrowed her eyes. "I don't think you understand."

"Oh, I understand plenty," Guy snapped. "You think you're the only homeless refugees out there? I've been to war zones, lady, so have my guys. We know how it is. But no way I'm gonna let you just pop in on my home's doorstep, no problem at all."

"It's your duty," Roslin pressed. "We're your kin, you can't turn us away!"

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you think we're some long lost colony," Guy brushed it off with a wave. "First, Thrace here should already have told you that's wrong. Somebody made a mistake." Kara winced at how he just brushed aside centuries of long-held scripture, Guy continuing. "Second, these Cylon things are on your asses constantly, no way I'm inviting them to our doorstep. We can make this work but not all at once."

Roslin stood back up, her fire showing. "In case you haven't noticed, Mr. Gardner…there are only three of you."

"Four," Kara stated.

Roslin and Adama both stared at her, Kara setting her jaw. "Look, I'm loyal to the fleet. But I'm a Lantern too. Pretty sure the ring won't let me attack one of my own."

Roslin glared before turning her eyes back to Guy. "The point is…you're heavily outnumbered."

He just smirked. "Lady…one Lantern is literally worth a hundred of your ships. Oh and in case you're wondering, even if you could get the rings off, they won't work for anyone but their user. And one of us goes down and you'll have twenty more of us down on your heads in no time."

"This is how your Corps negotiates?" Adama asked. "With threats?"

"I'm not a negotiator," Guy stated the obvious. "That's what other Lanterns do. I'm the guy behind the glass case marked 'do not break unless emergency.'" He nodded toward Kara. "Right now, my big issue is Starbuck here. The Guardians don't like it when a rookie goes on her own, planned or not. Normally, I'd be hauling her sweet ass to Oa to get some more training in."

"Oh, I know you did not just say that," Kara muttered.

Guy shrugged. "But we can work around that. As long as she's got a senior Lantern around, she's okay." That cocky smirk returned. "And there's no one in the Corps better than me."

Roslin rolled her eyes. "I see testosterone overload isn't limited to the Colonies." She rubbed at her face. "The fleet is hurting. Morale is low. Earth is all we have…"

"And we've got enough problems without adding a bunch of aliens to the mix," Guy interrupted. "And no, that's not some bigoted shot or anything. You can't be in the Corps and not get along with other species. Sadly, most of Earth won't be happy to see you coming in. Hell, we barely get along with each other, you guys won't be getting a warm welcome. So it's for your own good sticking around here for a while."

From his seat nearby, Tigh grunted. "Not even on Earth yet and they're already dictating to us."

As ever, Adama was quick to try and defuse the tension. "Right now, the fleet is the priority. We need to recover from this before we decide our next move." He sighed. "I'd put the Chief to work but with Cally…he's in no shape for it."

Roslin's eyes flashed with pain and Kara had to agree with her. Maybe Cally had shown a rough attitude but something about the spunky gal had won her over and to lose her in a senseless attack like this was just unfair. Then again, she'd learned life was much like that. "All right. I'll call the Quorum together as soon as I can to debate this." She pointed at Gardner. "You can explain to them why we can't just go there."

Guy nodded. "Fine by me. I've got things to do around here." He turned to walk out. "Thrace, with me." Kara made to follow but stopped as Adama spoke softly.

"Kara." She turned to face him, seeing him as a drawn old man gazing with near pleading at her. "I thought we lost you. I don't…I don't want to see you here but know you're not one of us."

Kara bit her lip before lifting her hand up. "This chose me," she softly said, wiggling the ring. "It picked me. It's supposed to choose someone to protect an entire sector of space and, for Gods know what reason, it thought I'd be a great choice." She stepped forward, setting her jaw. "I love this fleet. I want to help us. But for the first time…someone decided I belong somewhere else and I'm not going to blow it. I'm hoping you can accept that but if push comes to shove…" She just stared before turning to follow Guy.

He looked at her as they marched along the hallways. "Nice speech. Hope you can back it up."

She glared at him and Guy's usual cockiness faded. "Thrace…you're not the first Lantern to get caught between the Corps and their own lives. It's not easy, I know. It's your choice which way to go, we won't pressure you. If you gotta give it up, there's no shame in it."

Kara glared. "I strike you as the kind to just give up, Gardner?"

That smirk returned. "Nah. No wonder I like you. Remind me of me."

Kara decided to figure out later whether or not that was a compliment.

* * *

The world was red and fiery in all directions, rocks the only surface. The pools of lava blasted out periodically, spitting the flames out. One pool, however, was not lava but instead dark red blood, poured before a huge red-colored lantern. Surrounding it were a group of figures, each more inhuman than the other, from a human-looking woman to a winged monster to what looked like a simple cat. They all shared the same look, however: Pale skin, dark red eyes, red and black uniforms with a circular design at the chests…and the fact that when they breathed, blood exited from their mouths like trickles of flame.

Cally didn't notice this. She noticed nothing but the rage in her, the anger at all that had happened. It seemed to burn itself into her body, her soul, her mind, consolidating into the red ring floating before her. She looked past at it at the man in the middle of this group. He was a hulking figure with dark red skin, his face marked by a gaping round maw with multiple sharp teeth. His mouth was pulled tightly as he gazed at Cally. "It is time," he rumbled, his voice echoing sharply. "Time to give in to your rage. To join us." He seemed to sense Cally's fear and the mouth twisted into a grin. "Fear is a weak emotion. Rage is where true strength lies. Join us and your rage will allow you to gain your justice."

The image of Galen…of Tory…of Starbuck…of Hot Dog…of the attacks, the beatings, the year of hell on New Caprica, of Baltar, of her lost family, of the Colonies, all of it….It flew through Cally's mind in an instant and reignited the overwhelming anger in her heart.

And with that thought, she leapt into the pool of blood before her.

It was as if she had jumped into lava, not blood. It was pain, pure, sheer agony unlike anything she could possibly imagine. And yet….it was also comforting. Comforting, as if it was where she belonged. Her clothes were burned away, leaving her naked within the pool, the fire covering her completely. She welcomed it as it swept into her body, filling her up. Welcomed it as she welcomed the booming voice now echoing in her mind.

_"With blood and rage of crimson red…"_

Her mouth erupted in a scream as she felt the lava fill her, felt her heart explode inside her chest. Yet, she remained not only alive but strong, stronger than ever before.

_"Ripped from a corpse so freshly dead…"_

She felt the red ring slide onto her finger as her naked body was covered like a second skin in that red and black uniform, fitting her tight and perfect.

"_Together with our hellish hate…"_

She erupted outward, her mouth open and vomiting a blast of pure fire, the remains of her heart among the flames as they echoed into the blood-red sky above her.

_"We'll burn you all…"_

She lifted up her hand and the ring blasted a beam of red energy into the sky. Around her, the other figures joined in, also blasting their rings as they chimed with the final phrase of their dark oath.

**"**_**That is your fate!"**_

Her eyes burned with fire as she hissed out, staring at the being before her. She knew him now, knew him as Atrocitus, their leader, their guide, their master in their new lives. He smiled as he nodded his head. "You belong to the Red Lanterns now. What do you have to say?"

The being that had been Callaway Tyron spat out flame as she hissed one single word.

"_Blood_…"

* * *

**So laying in some more seeds for things to come. **


	14. Pushed Arrivals

**Lighting the Path**

**By Michael Weyer**

** Pushed Arrivals**

* * *

The chamber of the underground bunker was mostly empty when the crackling of ozone began. Lightning flashed, sparks of electricity raking about as the wind picked up. With a blast of energy, what looked like a clear globe roughly the size of a large van appeared. It hovered in the air as lingering traces of electricity slid off it before settling on the ground. A door opened at its side, allowing the passengers to exit. One was a tall and handsome man clad in a mostly gold costume with blue trimming from his mid-section to the arms and blue boots and gloves that seemed encased in some large gauntlets. A blue star was at the center of the gold chest with a blue head covering that left most of his face clear with short blonde hair flowing back and tinted yellow goggles over his eyes. Beside him flew a small metallic globe that was roughly egg-shaped with fins at the sides, gold-plated with a blue screen at the front.

The man sighed as he brushed at his hair and stepped onto the platform. "Hate traveling to the 15th century. Forget the Industrial Revolution, when are they going to invent soap?"

"_At least you were successful, sir,"_ the robotic globe stated in a crisp voice that still contained a dry humor. _"The attempt to undo Columbus' voyage failed."_

"Yeah, yeah, history goes its way again and we come back to our old lives," the man said with a deep sigh.

_"Oh, dear. It's that time of the month again."_

"Excuse me?"

_"BPS. Booster's Pity Syndrome. The time when you begin moaning over and over again about how unfair it is to be the greatest hero history will never know."_

"Well, I'm sorry, ok, Skeets!" Booster Gold snapped at his robotic companion. "I'm out there risking my life to keep the timestream from being screwed up and I can't get any respect for it because no one knows what I'm doing!"

_"If I may, sir, that is the reason Rip Hunter chose you. Your…reputation was hardly that stellar to begin with. Your fantastic career in 25__th__ century football ending when you were banned after being caught betting on your own games-"_

"To help my dad, you know that."

_"Reduced to janitor at a museum where you hit upon the idea of stealing a Legion flight ring, a time machine and myself, or more importantly, the historical files I contained, to come to this era and make yourself over as a hero for fame and adulation…"_

"I did some good too, Skeets, you know that. I was part of the Justice League!"

_"With all respect, sir, your version of the JLI is not quite known for its sterling legacy and more for being, to quote one book, the _Saved By the Bell_ years of the organization."_

"At least we weren't in Detroit."

_"Regardless, sir, your constant need for fame and money is why Mr. Hunter decided you'd be a good person for his quest."_

"Mr. Hunter…" Booster rolled his eyes. "That's not even his real name, Skeets!"

_"In order to protect himself from evil time travelers, he must keep his true identity secret, sir. You, however, are well-known already. Thus, the best way to maintain your secret mission to protect the flow and history and see that time is not undone is to ensure that history only knows you as a vainglorious, money-grubbing dolt who never amounted to anything."_

"Way to tone it down, Skeets."

_"I was, sir."_

Booster stopped to look at the robot. "You know, I think we need a break. We're starting to talk in exposition again."

"_So noted, sir_."

They made their way into the larger room of the underground bunker and stopped. The main lab was filled with various shelves of equipment, much of it beyond the realm of modern-day science. A shelf of books lined the walls and had someone taken the time to study them, they might have noticed how a few were full biographies of people yet to be elected President. The other side was dominated by an old-fashioned chalkboard before which Rip Hunter stood. He was a tall man who appeared in his 30's, also with dark blond hair and five o'clock shadow. He wore a green uniform with red trimmings, his face tight as he scribbled the chalk over the board.

"Oh, hell," Booster muttered. "He's writing, Skeets. That's never good when he's writing."

Skeets had to concur as the two looked at the chalkboard. The hard part of time traveling, Booster had learned, was keeping things in chronoal check. For a man who had been doing it all his life, Rip Hunter had the problem of letting his thoughts get jumbled and thus even writing things down, he couldn't help but be a tad vague, as evidenced by his writings.

**Red, Blue, Green, Indigo, Orange, Yellow, Violet = White**

** Why is Max Lord?**

** Oracle takes flight.**

** The threads will embrace Wonder Woman.**

** No Salvation.**

** The Dark Knight will enterprise. **

** Old 52?**

** Krypton evermore.**

And more, none of which made any sense to Booster. He coughed as he came up. "Um, Rip?"

Hunter turned to him, his eyes showing the strain from lack of sleep. "Oh, Booster. Good to have you back."

"What's wrong?" Booster asked. "I mean, aside from the usual insanity that goes on with our lives."

Rip sighed as he looked back at the board. "Something's coming, Booster. It's happening faster than I expected it to, faster than it should be. It's coming and it'll change everything."

"Great," Booster muttered. "Now, is this something we have to stop or one of those 'going to happen anyway' things? Or, better yet, one of those things I have to be a part of in order to let happen? Because I went there before with Coast City, not wanting to go through it again."

"I warned you, there are times you have to let history happen."

"I had to watch eight million people die, Rip!" Booster snapped. "I can't just get over that! It doesn't help how you keep acting like my father in all this."

Rip smiled. "I'm not your father, Booster." Had Booster not been so upset, he might have detected the hint of a hidden secret in the way Rip spoke. Rip's smile faded as he moved back to the chalkboard. "No, what's coming is something we can't stop. We can only prepare for it. Fate was supposed to take a different turn but now…now, something is spreading a new wave of history at us, one that can't be altered."

Booster nodded as he took it in. "So just ride this one out? Okay, sounds almost normal. So what are we facing anyway?"

In answer, Rip turned to the board and circled two large words in the center of it all. Booster stared at them and without asking, he felt a chill in his heart as he took them in.

**HE RISES.**

* * *

The ring was good but to burn off energy, jogging was still natural for Kara.

Her boots echoed across the halls as she ran, dressed in her old uniform, the headphones attached to her iPod. It allowed her to ignore the stares she received from those she ran past. It had been a tense few weeks since the Khund attack, the fleet pulling back together. Tyrol had been taking Cally's death horribly, drinking and getting into an argument with Adama so the Admiral had no choice but to relieve him of his duties. Kara had wanted to talk to him but the Chief (she couldn't think of him as anything but) had withdrawn into himself, refusing to talk to anyone. Not much better was Felix. They'd managed to fix his wound as best they can but like anyone else with an amputated foot, he wasn't handling the transition to mostly sitting around well.

Kara paused for breath. At least some of the tension had faded with Guy and the other Lanterns having to return to Oa for some big emergency. Kara should have gone with but Guy had said she was technically still a rookie and thus not eligible to take part in whatever it was. Had it been another Lantern, he would have insisted but Gardner had a way of following his own rules and seemed to respect Kara's ability to handle things on her own. She didn't really mind, she'd had enough of this insanity already. She just needed to get her head cleared a bit, try to figure things out on her own with Lee, with Adama, Roslin, the fleet….

"Hello, Kara."

Kara closed her eyes in pain. "Great. Just what I needed." She turned to the man standing behind her, obviously having waited to see her.

Even after hearing from people, Kara was still struck by how different Gaius Baltar looked. The once dashingly handsome man was a shadow of himself, unshaven and unkempt, his grubby shirt, vest and jeans a far cry from his once pressed and expensive suits. He was trying a smile but it didn't match his eyes, which no longer sparked with the genius of old but rather looked more haunted. Kara had never enjoyed talking to Baltar in the best of circumstances and sure as hell didn't want to now.

"You…look good," Baltar began. "I was happy to hear you were still alive."

"One of the few," Kara noted. She wiped at her brow as she removed her headphones. "What do you want, Gaius?"

He studied her for a long moment. "Your return has a lot of people talking, Kara. About what happened to you. Your…rebirth."

"I never died, Baltar," Kara snapped. "I got picked by the ring to join the GLC."

"Is that what you truly believe?" Baltar asked as he stepped forward. "I believe you were chosen, Kara. But not by some alien band. I believe you were chosen by God."

Kara stared at him for a long moment. "Holy frak, Baltar, I'd heard the rumors but I didn't believe them until now. You've finally gone off the deep end."

"I assure you, I'm serious," Baltar stated. "What happened to you, Kara…To be taken from us and then returned…That's a far greater thing than you can imagine." He was speaking quite calmly, almost reverently and that just freaked Kara out even more. "There are angels, Kara. I've seen them. I've heard them. Angels are among us and I believe you are living proof of that."

"You know, on Earth, you could get your own show with that talk," Kara cracked.

"I'm being serious, Kara."

"I know, that's what's scary about this." She sighed. "Look, Baltar, I'm not going to become some new face of whatever lunacy you're up to. I've heard you've been welcomed by some folks, Gods know why. You want your own harem, feel free, I just feel sorry for those poor women deluded enough to be with you."

That familiar eyebrow arched. "I would point out you could be listed among them."

Kara's eyes narrowed. "You know I was drunk as hell and regretted it ever since. That was before I knew you had a big part to play in the Cylon attacks. Or before you led us down the road to hell in New Caprica."

"We came out of it," Baltar stated. "Stronger than before. We survived."

Kara rolled her eyes. "Great. I know someone in this fleet who's going to embrace that Darwin guy." She looked back at Baltar hard. "Baltar, let's make this clear. I was never dead, I'm not some angel and trust me, these gods you love aren't what you think."

"You have been to Earth, though," Baltar pressed. "You know it, Kara. You will lead us to the promised land."

"Oh, Gods, now you get religion," Kara groaned, rubbing her head. "Baltar, go back to your little commune or whatever you call it and let them soak in your brand of crazy. I've got more than enough in my plate as is."

"Kara…."

"She said to go, Baltar," Tigh growled as he walked up behind the man. Kara couldn't help but feel happy at the way Baltar nearly jumped at Tigh's presence. The single eye made it clear that he wasn't joking around and even in his state, Baltar had to recognize it. With a final look at Kara, he began to walk off, Tigh staring to make sure he left.

"How has no one shot him?" Kara asked.

"Gods only know," Tigh sighed out. He looked over at Kara, clearly uncomfortable. "Still not fitting in, huh?"

"I knew it wouldn't be easy," Kara sighed. "But this is still harder than I thought." She wiped her brow. "How's Roslin?"

"Trying to hide it," Tigh stated. "But it's obvious she's sinking bad. It's only a matter of months at the most."

"Dammit," Kara muttered. "Without Roslin, this whole damn fleet goes to shit."

"Amen there," Tigh agreed. He looked her over. "Listen, Thrace. I don't know how much of this stuff about Earth is real or not. Or these Lanterns or any of it." He looked her in the eye. "But I do know that when we thought you'd died…it ate the Old Man and Lee hard. Harder than anything and I've known Bill a long time." He set his jaw. "If you hurt him again somehow….if this turns out to be some trick…It might just break him. And if that's the case, I'll shoot you myself."

"Nice to see you've mellowed," Kara remarked as she put her headphones back on. She hit "random" on her iPod as she turned to jog again, the sound of a guitar riff coming into her ears. "There must be some kind of way out of here…" she softly sang.

"Said the joker to the queen."

Kara froze in place as she heard the absent tone behind her. She slowly turned to find the Chief staring right back at her, his own face frozen in shock and single eye wide. For a long moment, they just shared an uncomprehending glance before Tigh broke away, walking quickly down the hallway, sparing a last glance at Kara before turning a corner.

Kara just stared at where he'd gone, her mind trying to process what had just happened. A chill came over her as a thought entered her mind. She didn't want to face it but what she'd just seen was enough to convince her. Spinning on her heel, she broke out from a jog to a full-on run, shoving people aside as she raced down hallways and up stairs. She glanced about at a corridor intersection before running down another hallway and bursting into the pilot's room. "Athena!"

The pilots inside were startled at her sudden entrance. The Cylon who Kara still found herself calling Sharon was with them, frowning as she stood up. "Kara? What are you…" She was cut off as Kara grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to the middle of the room.

"Just stand still," Kara said. She held up a finger and the look in her eye was enough to make Athena close her mouth. "Trust me." She backed up and held up her hand. A green beam exited from her ring to sweep over Athena. "What the frak?" Helo yelled as he got to his feet. "What are you doing?"

"Something I should have done first day I got back," Kara said as she held up her first. "Ring. I need you to secretly scan the entire fleet for any physiologies matching Athena's."

**"Scanning." **The pause was agonizingly slow for Kara. She could have had the ring sweep beams of green around but thought it best to contain as much as she could. **"Scan completed. Four life-forms matching data."**

"Four…" Helo's eyes opened wide. "Holy shit, you found four toasters in the fleet?"

Kara took a deep breath. "Ring…show me images."

The ring sent a beam out into the air before her, lines forming into a quartet of faces. Each slowly rotated around, the color bright but the details of each face clear.

"Sweet mother of Artemis," Hotdog whispered. He was one of the few able to say anything as everyone took in the images of Saul Tigh, Galen Tyrol, Sam Anders and Tory Foster.

Kara knew the blood had drained from her face as she couldn't tear her eyes away from Sam's image. "Oh, Gods," she whispered, feeling as if she'd been the punch line of a massive cosmic joke.

Helo was the first to recover, moving to the nearby phone on the wall and yanking it off the receiver. Dialing a number, he quickly started barking into the phone. "We have a Code Blue, four counts! I need guards on Tyrol, Anders, Foster….and Tigh." He listened and snapped. "Yeah, you heard me! Get them caught now!"

Kara was already moving, feeling the energy of the ring flow around her and create her uniform. With a running start, she leapt up and flew down the hallways, not hearing the yells of people as she sped by them, twisting around corners and up ladders to get to her destination. She came up to Adama's quarters just as Lee marched around the corner with a trio of soldiers in full armor. She landed and saw the look on his face. "You heard."

"Tigh's in there," Lee stated. "He passed by me earlier, looked like something on his mind, said he had to talk to my dad."

"Frak," Kara muttered as she turned to the door. Taking a breath, she lifted her ring to form a ram and slammed it on the surface. The door gave way as she entered, her ring ready to fire. She saw Tigh standing before the desk, Adama staring at him with an expression that clearly said Tigh had already come clean about his true nature. The guards were behind Kara, aiming their rifles at Tigh. He glanced at them and then at Kara, who was aiming her fist at him, the ring crackling with green flame. "What are you waiting for, Starbuck?" he said in a surprisingly calm tone. "You can't tell me you haven't wanted an excuse to do it for years."

She wanted to. Gods knew she did. But she couldn't, not like this and especially not in front of the Old Man. She backed up, allowing the guards to grab an unresisting Tigh. Adama was staring at his oldest and closest friend before speaking. "Take the…Colonel…to the brig. Have the others put in there too, maximum guard." The soldiers moved to drag him away, Tigh staring after Adama all the while.

Lee carefully moved forward. "Dad?" he spoke, his usual brisk demeanor gone and replaced by a young boy concerned for his father. Adama leaned forward, staring down at the desk. In a flash, he swept its contents off the surface, screaming out loud. He lunged to a wall, smashing his fist into a framed photo of he and Tigh from years before. He collapsed onto the floor, sobbing, the pain of so much loss coming to the fore. Lee knelt with him, wrapping arms around his father to hug him tightly, his tears soon joining in with the elder man. Kara looked at them for a long moment before moving to embrace them both. Her own anger came to the fore now, causing tears as they sat together, each feeling a horrific pain at the truth coming out.

* * *

It was nearly an hour before Kara could pull herself away. She wiped at her eyes as she marched herself down two levels to the prison level. The guards gave her a glance but didn't seem surprised to see her enter. She marched into the room, seeing Sam, Tyrol, Tory and Tigh all inside with varying expressions of sorrow on their faces. Without breaking stride, Kara allowed her ring to form a green fist that shot through the bars to smash Tigh across the jaw. He stumbled back, rubbing it but not seeming upset about the blow. "How's the Old Man?" he asked.

"How the hell do you think?" Kara spat. She stared at them all. "How long have you known?"

There was a silence as they all glanced at each other. "The day you came back," Tyrol spoke up. "It was like…a switch got flipped somehow. Like we realized what we'd always known."

Kara shook her head. "Godsdammit….All this time?" She pointed at Sam. "You led a damn rebellion on Caprica! You fought your own kind!"

"I didn't know they were my kind!" Sam snapped. "Hell, I still don't believe it!"

"It's true though," Tyrol spoke from one of the cots inside. He was looking downcast and hard to speak up. "We know it. We've been this way all along."

Kara looked at Tigh. "Your own wife died because of them, Tigh!" He looked away with shame but she kept pressing on. "You're the one willing to kill ourselves just to get at them! Now, you're revealing you're one, have been one. Gods, you know how this will break Adama."

"Why the frak do you think we kept it quiet all this time?" Tigh demanded. "Until we knew for sure we weren't going to snap and start blowing up ships, we had to hide this. From everyone."

Kara turned her eyes back to Tyrol. "Cally?"

Tyrol looked away in pain. "She…found out when those…aliens attacked us. She was running when…" He rubbed at his face and Kara could see his grief was genuine. She looked back at Sam, her eyes hard. "Guess we finally know a legitimate reason we could never work out," she groused. She knew it was petty but it was all she could think of to say right now.

Sam just returned her gaze. "I never meant to hurt you. I never asked for this. After the hell I went through on Caprica and New Caprica and everything…To find out I've been one all along…This is hell on us all, Kara."

"I'm so glad to take your feelings into consideration," Kara sarcastically replied. "Hope that goes over well when it gets out to the rest of the fleet we've had four Toasters among us, one the second-in-command, another with an ear to the President and a third who's been helping make sure our flagship is in flying shape."

"What happens to us?" Tory asked, her face tight.

"What she means," Tigh added. "Is how long until we hit the airlocks?" He ignored her glare. "Oh, like we don't know it's coming. It's what any of us would have seen done not long ago."

"Not my call," Kara said. She set her jaw as she looked over them all. "Hope you've all gotten used to being Cylons because ten to one you're going to die as some." Her eyes held Sam's for a long moment before turning to walk out of the room.

She leaned on a wall, rubbing her eyes over as if that could erase things. She heard footsteps and looked up to see Lee coming up to her, his face drawn. "He finally got to sleep," he answered her unasked question. "Roslin is coming over as soon as she can."

Kara raised an eyebrow. "Wait, just for him? Are they…?" Lee nodded and Kara scoffed. "About frakking time."

Lee looked at the room. "You believe them? That they didn't know?"

Taking a moment to mull it over, Kara nodded. "I do. The behavior changes explain a lot. I should have seen but was too distracted coming back to really judge."

"We all were," Lee pointed out. He loosened his tie, looking more ill-fitting than ever in his suit. "Gods, what a mess. This may be it. The fleet's been at the breaking point for so long but now…" He shook his head. "I don't think we can come back from this, Kara. I don't know if we can recover from this."

She looked at him, his words sinking in. She then lifted her fist to gaze at her ring. "Frak it," she boldly declared before turning on her heel to march down the hallways. Lee blinked before following although he knew it was futile to talk to her. He knew Kara Thrace enough to know that was her demeanor when she had her mind set on something.

* * *

She burst into the CiC with all eyes on her. It was odd seeing Dee in uniform, holding down things. It was clear word of what happened had reached the command center, the technicians in various forms of shock, going about their work mechanically. Felix was sitting at his console, his artificial leg awkwardly sticking out as he maintained the nav computer. Kara moved to the main navigation post and lifted her ring to it. "Ring. Access those navigational charts I downloaded off Gardner's ring."

There was a pause before the ring responded. **"Complete."**

Kara nodded. "Okay. Correlate with current position. Now scan over the fleet status and give me the fastest jump route to Earth."

The mention of the word got the attention of everyone around her. Lee had entered the room, his face thrown by what she was saying. "Kara? What are you doing?"

"You said this can break the fleet," Kara said, her eyes fixed as the ring emitted a beam into the navigational computer. "There's only one way to stop that from happening."

"You said it was dangerous," Lee pressed, coming over to face her. "That Earth may not react well."

"That's their problem." Kara looked him in the eye. "Maybe I'm a Lantern. But…I'm human first. And I'm not going to see us tear ourselves apart when I know a way to stop it."

Lee shared her gaze, the two seeming to speak without words. Nearby, Dee couldn't help but narrow her eyes at the connection she could never touch with Lee. Finally, he nodded and backed up, a soft smile on his face. "Go for it."

Kara turned back as the ring emitted light from the computer, forming lines that soon came together to create star charts. A series of lines cut through leading to a globe she was very familiar with. The line shimmered to form a series of numbers. "Felix," Kara called out. "Get these down."

He was startled but the navigator in him was quick to respond, grabbing a pen and paper to run them down. "Ring, give me a fleet scan, let me know if they can make this in one jump."

**"Negative. Insufficient power in inter-spacial engines for required output."**

Kara bit her lip. "Can you give them a boost?"

There was a pause as if the ring was hesitant to answer. **"Within power ring levels to increase engine power. Will leave ring level at 7.1%."**

"Fine by me," Kara leaned to the computer. "Felix, start entering those numbers in. Dee, open a channel to every ship in the fleet." The black-skinned woman was quick to respond, somehow realizing what Kara was planning. Bringing herself up, Kara spoke out. "This is Kara Thrace to all captains. We're sending you jump coordinates that will take you straight to Earth. I'll be giving us a boost but still need them entered in the computers. If you want to find that place at last, enter them in. You don't trust me, fine, stay behind. Your choice."

"This is Lee Adama," Lee spoke up unexpectedly. "I can confirm what she's saying. I know you're scared but this is our best chance. Maybe our only one. Please…listen to her."

After a pause, the communications board began to light up. The technicians were quick to respond, Dee moving to look over them. "We're getting confirmations," she called out. "And Roslin wants to speak to you."

"Tell her to wait," Lee stated. It took a few moments before Dee turned to them. "All ships reported in. They've got the numbers set."

Kara nodded, lifting her ring up. "Okay…on my mark then." She concentrated and the ring spread out a ring of energy that flowed outward. Kara furrowed her brow as she concentrated, imagining the beam touching every ship. She could almost see as the energy flowed into every jump drive, pushing them to limits their designers had never anticipated. Kara grit her teeth as she tried to hold it together, the agony of the situation pressing but she willed herself to push it further. "3…2…" She closed her eyes as she held her ring arm with her other hand to brace it, sweat pouring off. "_Mark!"_

And in a combination of white and green, the fleet winked out of existence.

* * *

Monitor duty may not be the most exciting job for a Justice League member but it was far from the least important. Vixen had learned that the hard way over the years as more than once, a threat from space that struck when least expected. Unlike a few younger members she could think of, she didn't use the satellite's massive computer system to play video games or catch up on TV but did her best to keep an eye on the world. It could be hard figuring which disasters required League attention or not but most days, the world was able to keep itself below total chaos level enough to let her enjoy a break. She was just settling back into her chair with a coffee and a new book when an all too familiar flashing light caught her attention.

She leapt up, her senses instantly alert. Reflexively, she touched the totem around her neck, ready to use its powers to summon the attributes of any animal that could help her. For all she knew, a legion of aliens in armor were about to teleport past the shields to try and attack. It'd happened more than a few times before and Vixen wasn't about to let this happen on her watch. _Sometimes I wonder if the Detroit bunker was all that bad._

She frowned at the readings on the screen. Something was being detected on the spatial sensors, hinting something coming toward Earth but she didn't see anything out there. The scanners had been designed to cut through a dozen different types of cloaking shields but it still seemed as if there was just empty space out there. Narrowing her eyes, Vixen summoned her powers to allow her vision to become as sharp as a hawk's. She stared out the window and could see a shimmering, as if something was shading the stars.

Vixen yelled out as the flash of white and green came over her, pulling her vision back to normal. She blinked as she saw nearly thirty ships appear out of nowhere. She reflexively moved to the main alarm, pressing down to let a loud alarm echo around the satellite. The same alarm was also sounding to the White House, the Kremlin, 10 Downing Street and a dozen other key addresses across the world. It also sounded to every member on the current JLA roster. Leaning in, Vixen spoke into the communications array to address the latter. "JLA Code Red! Alien ships arriving over Earth! No signs of hostile intent as of yet, no communications. Emergency, all members report to Hall of Justice ASAP!"

Vixen rose just as a beeping sound came to the communications array. She calibrated and realized it was coming from the ships. She touched a button to let the voice crackle, the system's universal translator quickly turning it into English:

_"To the people of Earth. This is Laura Roslin, President of the Twelve Colonies of Kobol. We are happy to finally meet our long-lost brothers of humanity."_

Vixen sighed and sat back, rubbing her temples. She wasn't upset over this fleet of humans appearing with no warning. She wasn't upset about the chaos of Earth being addressed as "brothers" of these aliens. She wasn't upset over how they were going to handle this new influx of people.

No, what upset her was that she was about to endure one of her least favorite things: Batman once again being proven right.

* * *

**Next chapter begins the fallout of the Colonials' arrival and things getting far more dangerous. All comments welcome as I hope to have it up a lot sooner. **


	15. Diplomatic Meetings

**Lighting the Path**

**By Michael Weyer**

** Diplomatic Meetings**

* * *

**Metropolis**

**2997**

The group walking down the halls of the Metropolis Museum of History were an eclectic bunch, thirty all told representing about a dozen different planets. They ranged in age from elderly to children, some looking bored but others interested in what the human tour guide was saying. Like every other building of the 30th century, the Museum was crisp and huge, designed to be spotless with robots floating about attending to exhibits and cleaning up the rare piece of trash. Windows outside showed the gorgeous cityscape of flying cars and even the occasional person. The woman was a redhead in a crisp silver uniform, a smile on her face as she waved at some nearby exhibits.

"As we come to the 21st Century Wing of the Museum, we're in for some special treats. The Smallville Museum has been kind enough to share some of their exhibits of the life of Superman. We're naturally more than thrilled to let you see rare items of the man who inspired so many heroes over the centuries." She waved a hand as she led the group to the hall. "Also, another new exhibit just about to be open that takes a look at one of the seminal events of the early 21st Century-"

"Look!" a green-skinned alien boy cried out, his antenna shooting upward as he pointed at a trio of figures walking their way. "It's the Legion!"

The tourist group was instantly alert and excited, many with wide grins on their faces.

"How wonderful! I was afraid I'd miss them on this vacation!"

"See, Mrtha, I told you we'd run into them sometime!'

"Looks I owe my travel agent an apology."

"I take it back, this is the best trip ever, Dad!"

The three young people walking toward the group were startled at the reaction but managed to smile warmly. Every sentient being in the galaxy knew them, the founding members of the Legion of Super-Heroes, the group dedicated to protecting the peace and safety of the United Planets and all on them. At the lead, as always, was Lightning Lad. Garth Ranzz' short blonde hair framed his handsome features and he was clad in a blue and white suit marked with yellow lightning bolts like the powers that gave him his namesake. Next to him was his long-time love, Irma Ardeen, aka Saturn Girl. She was clad in a red jumpsuit with red skirt, white boots and her red top was cut by a white streak in the middle with the emblem of her home of Titan on it. Her blonde hair added to her friendly smile as she waved at the onlookers.

A pair of teens in the slick uniforms of magnoball players came up to the dark-haired man at the center with looks of awe. The man wore purple pants and a black tunic with purple streaks, black gloves covering his hands with silver bracelets. His smile was one of a man used to such a reaction. "Oh, man, I can't believe it!" the older one said. "We're meeting Rokk Krinn!"

The younger one held up a shimmering card with the man's image on it. "You're our favorite player! Can you sign my holo-card?"

Cosmic Boy laughed as he took the card and pressed his thumb to imprint his signature. Despite his fame as a super-hero, he was still regarded with respect for his magnoball career before helping form the Legion. The three friends were open as they signed autographs and posed for some pictures. _"So much for a quiet day," _Lightning Lad thought.

_"Oh, hush, you love it," _Saturn Girl replied with her telepathy.

The tour guide's smile was wider with the unexpected bonus of her job. "Well, this is a surprise! I had no idea there would be Legionnaires here!"

"We were making a special drop-off to the Museum," Lightning Lad explained. "It was from our headquarters and required a few special fixes." He glanced over to where two other figures were coming forward. One was a tall and handsome man with a great build, dark bluish hair and wearing a red costume with a long blue cape. He was casually holding a massive mechanical apparatus on his shoulder, the two-ton device held like a light bag. His colleague was a handsome humanoid with dark green skin and bright yellow hair, wearing a simple purple jumpsuit, his eyes fixed to the datapad in his hand. As with their colleagues, each wore a yellow ring emblazoned with the letter "L."

"Mon-El!" the children in the group called out, running toward the Daxam hero. He smiled and waved. "Sorry I can't sign autographs, kids, but no room to put this thing down right now." He looked to his friend. "How about you, Brainy?"

Brainiac 5 didn't seem to even notice the people around him, continuing to walk on, eyes glued to his pad. Growing up the namesake and direct descendant of the most evil and hated member of his race hadn't been easy for the super-genius but he'd managed to make his own path as a helper for the Legion. However, it made him more than a bit stand-offish to those of lesser intellect. Which, to him, was most everyone alive. "Can we hurry this along?" he grumbled. "I have fifteen experiments to check up on."

"We should be going," Lightning Lad said. "But good to meet you all!" He waved as the Legionnaires walked on. The tour guide smiled as she faced the group. "Well, that was exciting! And also fitting as we are about to witness a seminal event of the early 21st Century, one that shaped so much of the lives of heroes of the time!"

She led them down some hallways as Mon-El glanced back at the group. "Ah, memories," he smiled. "Always interesting seeing a time I once lived in as a museum piece." The man had briefly been a hero in the 21st century before spending centuries trapped in the other-dimensional Phantom Zone.

"Why anyone pays attention to such a backward era is beyond me," Brainiac 5 sniffed.

"Brainy, it was that era that inspired us to form the Legion in the first place," Lightning Lad pointed out.

The Colun simply shrugged. "I still don't see why we should donate something to this place."

"It's important to remember, Brainy," Saturn Girl said as she looked over her shoulder. She could sense the group, feeling the awe as they took in the newly-opened exhibit. "The day the people of Kobol came changed everything for Earth. For the universe, in fact." She sighed sadly. "Changed it in so many ways…"

Even Brainiac 5 had to acknowledge the solemn feelings that memory brought and the pain that was caused by it all.

* * *

**Gotham City**

**The Present**

The night was comforting to Batman as he crouched on a rooftop. His cap billowed out behind him as he waited for his contact to arrive. His view of Gotham was perfect, letting him see the city in full view. Despite the darkness many saw in it, Batman preferred to see the hope Gotham had, the hope it could change for the better. That was what drove him to come out night after night and fight the darkness. He had once thought he could do it alone but had come to realize allies were always important. No matter who they were.

He heard the billowing behind him but didn't turn even as he smelled the acidic taste in the air. "Do you always have to waste that much?" he called out.

"I'm sorry but you're talking to me about dramatic entrances?"

Batman turned to see the figure appearing out of a cloud of smoke. She was a woman as evidenced by the curves even under the dark suit she wore with long trenchcoat and wide-brimmed hat, long black hair flowing behind her and gloves over her hands. What got attention was her face as it appeared to be completely blank, no eyes and only the slightest indentations for where the nose and mouth were. While not tall, she appeared athletic, an appearance jarring at first sight.

The only thing harder than being an honest cop in Gotham City was being an honest female cop. Renee Montoya had been one of the best in a bad town, rising from patrolwoman to detective in record time. She'd gone through a lot, from various injuries and shooting to being held hostage by any number of Gotham's psychopathic criminals. She'd also endured personal problems when she was outed as a lesbian. It was hard enough with fellow officers but worse with her strident Catholic parents. However, things got worse when her partner, Crispus Allen, was killed by a corrupt cop who got off scott-free due to lack of evidence.

Renee hit bottom and hit it hard, sinking into drinking and constant one-night stands, losing her job and might very well have ended up eating her own gun if it hadn't been for the Question. An eccentric and paranoid investigator, Vic Sage had taken Renee under his wing for a complicated murder case involving the criminal cult Intergang that took them around the world. Renee found herself reborn while also discovering the real reason Vic had chosen her: Dying of cancer (a piece of news that made Renee quit smoking on the spot), he was looking for a successor. He'd died in her arms and despite initial doubts, Renee had taken on the mantle of the Question.

She knew her usual act didn't mean much to Batman but she was comfortable with it. She stared through the specialized artificial skin over her face as she reached to her coat to pull out a file. "Here." She handed it over. "It was tricky making it through the shell corporations but I think I got a line on Luthor's latest ventures."

"Good," Batman said, looking over the file. "He's been too quiet lately but with what we discovered last week, there could be some plan of his in the works."

"Don't suppose you're willing to share?"

Batman simply perused the file carefully. "You had inside help, I assume?"

"Yeah," the Question said, sighing. "Pretty inside."

Her tone cause Batman's head to snap up, eyes narrowed behind her mask. "From who?"

She hesitated but footsteps answered before she could. Turning, Batman was instantly moving a hand to pull out a Batarang as a figure stepped out of the stairwell leading to the roof. He was a walking contrast: One half of his suit was dark grey pinstripes, just like any lawyer or businessman. The other half, bisected right at the middle, was bright orange and purple mixed together. The right shoe was a dark black loafer, the left a white tennis shoe. That division ran to his face; the right side was quite handsome, a dark blue eye and brown hair. The left was a horror of purple scar tissue, bone and sinew wrapped together, jagged edges out and the eye lidless and wide, the hair on that side wildly askew

Fittingly, the sight of Two-Face always brought mixed emotions in the Dark Knight. First, was alertness and ready for anything the madman might try. Second, was sympathy, the pain of seeing the once trusted District Attorney Harvey Dent as this murderous lunatic. When the acid thrown by a mobster struck him, it didn't just scar Dent's face but also his mind, warping him into a man obsessed with duality. He'd tried time and again to conquer his demons with surgery but it never took for long and Batman had pretty much given up hope the Harvey Dent he knew could ever come back.

"Don't try it, Bats," Two-Face rasped in his gravelly voice. "I've got a pair of snipers each on two different roofs with the two of you in their sights." He glanced over at both of them. "I owed Montoya, no matter what outfit she dresses in now. Plus, good side came up."

"I didn't think you were part of Luthor's gang," Batman stated, still ready to attack if need be.

"He doesn't like us Gotham guys in it," Two-Face confirmed. "But he's been recruiting more lately. A lot more. He's up to something big and it's got something to do with space." He shrugged. "That sort of stuff is beyond me but I recognize anything that shakes up Gotham is worth knowing about."

"And what do you know?" Batman still was ready to fight as he kept his tone even, knowing the only way to talk to Two-Face was in as calm a voice as possible.

The man paced carefully and Batman couldn't help but note the stance made so famous in court. "Luthor's playing it close to the vest, he doesn't want to let others know what he's doing just yet. He feeds the old 'even the playing field, answer numbers with numbers' line and most of them buy it. But guys like me, the…forward-thinkers…we know he's got a different end game."

He pulled a small device out of his colored coat pocket. "Data file I managed to blackmail out of Calculator. He owed me one. Gives you insight to what Luthor's doing with his accounts."

Batman carefully held out a hand. "Let me have it, Harvey."

Two-Face stared at him, then at the card, conflict growing on his face. The other hand came out of his other pocket, the fingers trailing along an all-too-familiar object to both the crimefighters. "Harvey," the Question hissed. "Don't…Not this time."

His good eye looked at her and the tiniest hint of a sad smile pulled at his unscarred lip. He put the silver dollar onto his thumb and flipped it upward, the coin gleaming in the moonlight as it circled up and then down onto Two-Face's waiting palm. He slapped it onto his other wrist and lifted the palm up to expose one side of the coin covered in long scratches to mar the face on it.

Two-Face looked back up and shrugged. "Sorry, Bats." With that, he pulled his arm back and threw the data card as far as he could off the roof before Batman could move. The Dark Knight took a step only to have a sharp whisper and the impact of a bullet inches from his foot. Two-Face was backing up to the doorway. "Said all I can, Bats. Good luck." He paused and nodded at the Question. "Love the new look." He opened the door and was gone.

The Question peered about as if expecting to see the snipers herself. "That was for nothing."

"Not totally," Batman mused. "We know Two-Face had a file for Luthor."

The Question nodded slowly. "And if anyone is going to keep a copy…"

Batman was about to reply when a beeping sound echoed from his belt. He put a finger to his right cowl ear, activating his special com-link. "Batman." He listened before straightening, his face growing harder. "JLA emergency. I have to go."

"I'll track Two-Face," the Question said, smoke billowing about her feet to cover her completely. When it vanished, so had she, leaving Batman to muse on whether that was how he made people feel.

* * *

As soon as the hum of the teleporter faded, Batman was moving, his cape billowing behind as he marched through the halls of the JLA satellite and into the main meeting room. "What have they done?" he demanded as soon as he entered.

The rest of the JLA roster was startled but not surprised by his arrival. "They're just sitting out there," Vixen stated from her chair, waving at the fleet of ships outside. "But they have issued an open broadcast to all radio and TV stations announcing who they are."

"Damn," Batman muttered. "For all we know, in their language, the Pentagon thinks they've just issued a declaration of war."

"We've already been in contact with them," Superman assured him. "They'll be letting us handle the initial meeting."

"And the message was automatically translated," Vixen added. "Each nation heard it in their own language, probably thanks to Starbuck."

"Where's Thrace?"

"On the main ship," Hal said as he stepped forward. "I'm about to check in on her."

"Good," Batman intoned. "Make sure to get that ring off her before she's put in with the rest."

"Wait one minute," Hal said. "You don't dictate what the Corps does, Bruce."

"If it involves putting this planet in danger, I do."

Hal's eyes narrowed as he stepped forward. "I swear Bruce…You know what they call people who expect nothing but danger and threats at all times?"

"Yes. Prepared."

"Are these guys gonna kill each other?" Firestorm whispered.

"Ah, this is nothing," Red Arrow replied. "You should hear the stories of Ollie and Hawkman."

Superman shook his head as he stepped forward. "All right, calm down. We need to get to these Colonials first and explain to them the situation before they start landing in New York and demanding some place for themselves."

Batman shook his head. "Always the diplomat, Clark."

"It goes further than you think," Wonder Woman pointed out as she and Superman moved to the nearest airlock. "We'll report in soon."

"We'll keep talking to world leaders and keep things calm," Black Canary intoned.

Batman simply turned to march off. "I'll be in the lab."

"Why?" Canary asked.

She had no reply as Batman left, the doors snapping shut behind him. Hal sighed as he followed Superman and Wonder Woman for what he was sure was not going to be a very pleasant meeting.

* * *

"All ships made it through," Dee called out from her station. The entire CGC was abuzz as everyone reacted to the change, immediately checking out scanners.

"I've got multiple tracking signals near us," Felix called out from his station. He frowned. "Too small for fighters…"

"It's okay," Kara said, taking a deep breath. "I think I know who they are. You better have the docking bay get ready for visitors."

Lee frowned. "They have a ship?"

"Not…exactly," Kara stated as she turned to head for the door. "Trust me though…you're gonna want to be around for this one too."

Lee smiled. "Why do I get the feeling Zarek is going to be pretty out of his element here?" Kara grinned as she led him out.

* * *

_Blood._

_ It called her. Called to her._

_ A trail across the universe, a trail she could follow anywhere. _

_ Her prey was waiting for her now. Nothing could stop that. _

_ Nothing could stop her fate._

* * *

Laura Roslin sighed as she paced the meeting room. She was torn between her duty as President and being with her lover while his world collapsed around him. Right now, her commitment as leader came first so she was forced to put up with a sick feeling in her stomach as she adjusted her wig. Lee was at the table, also trying to put aside his troubled feeling while Kara leaned on the doorway. "They're here?" she asked once more.

Lee nodded. "Just got word they arrived at the docking bay."

"They have a shuttle?"

"No, they…" Lee coughed. "Flew in." He saw Roslin staring and shrugged. "Just what they told me."

"Hope the guards don't get trigger-happy," Kara intoned. "That doesn't go very well for them."

Roslin sighed. "What can we expect?"

"They're the front line to talk to," Kara said. "Just keep it calm and try to remember they were here first." She paused. "Well, okay, one of them wasn't but…"

A knock at the door interrupted them as a sentry opened to nod. "Madam President." He seemed a bit thrown and it was easy to see why as the three figures entered. Roslin was hardly an easy person to intimidate but the impact of Superman, Wonder Woman and Hal in his Green Lantern outfit was a lot to take in. She could feel the sheer power exuding off them but also a calm sureness that let her know these people were no fools, they were ready to help the fleet however they could and she felt herself ready to trust them, a rarity for her.

"President Roslin," Superman stated with a nod. "I suppose we should welcome you to Earth. Although we might have preferred a bit more warning first."

"So would I," Roslin replied, glancing at Starbuck. Hal smiled at the other woman. "Good to see you okay."

Kara held up her ring. "I could use a recharge."

"I'll let you borrow my lantern when we're done." he told her. He looked over to Roslin. "Sorry about all this. It's been a bit chaotic at the Corps to keep an eye on every raw Lantern."

"I'll take your word on that." Roslin motioned to the chairs. "I suppose we should begin." She sat with Lee and Kara, noting how even sitting, Superman seemed more powerful than anyone present. "President Roslin," he began. "We've been informed of what you've been through and believe me, I know how it is to lose a home world. And we understand the hardships of your journey." He took a deep breath. "However, if your plan is to simply settle on Earth, that's going to be…problematic."

"In what way?" Roslin's tone was calm but her eyes were as steely as anyone Superman had ever met. Wonder Woman saw him a bit thrown by it and thus spoke up. "President Roslin, Earth is often…wary of other cultures and civilizations. The sad fact is, many who have come from space have not arrived with the best of intentions."

Roslin shook her head. "The fleet won't take no for an answer, Ms…."

"Call me Diana," Wonder Woman stated in that amazing peaceful tone Kara had to admire.

"Diana," Roslin went on. "We have been through hell and back to get here. Reaching the home of our ancestors, finding the Lost Tribe, that is what has sustained us. We need to be here."

"The rest of Earth probably won't' agree," Superman stated. "It's a sad fact that humanity has a difficult time dealing with itself, let alone thousands of refugees from beyond. Even the fact you are human may not help soothe things." He glanced to Diana. "Plus, there's a…complication."

Hal stepped forward. "A few weeks ago, Superman helped Batman stop a group called the Brotherhood of Evil in a robbery. The item they were after was this." His ring formed an image of a robotic being, its body bulky with a large helmet, a visor of some sort at the middle and overall, an air of menace to it. Kara, Lee and Roslin all felt their throats go dry at a sight they knew only too well.

"My Gods," Lee whispered. "That's a Cylon Centurion. Old model from the original wars."

"This was on Earth?" a baffled Kara asked.

Superman nodded. "It was. We're trying to track down the connection, it involves a master terrorist named Ra's al Ghul but what interest others have in it is still to be determined."

"How the hell did a Cylon get on Earth?" Lee demanded.

"As I said, we're attempting to discover that," Diana stated. "But it does show a connection between your culture and out planet even though human life originated on Earth."

"And that's still gonna be a tough sell to the fleet," Kara pointed out."

Lee ran a hand through his hair. "Like it wasn't bad enough with Tigh and the others." He saw the confused looks of the new arrivals and sighed. "You might as well know now. We've just discovered four among us are actually Cylons. Part of what we've taken to call the Final Five."

Superman frowned. "Actual Cylons? You're sure." At their nods, he glanced to Diana. "I think we need to give Will Magnus a call."

Wonder Woman nodded. "He would be best with his knowledge of robotics."

"We're not about to just let them be studied," Roslin snapped. "We need to find out how much they know."

"By any means necessary?"

The sudden hard tone from Superman took them by surprise. His jaw was set as he gazed at Roslin. "Starbuck told Hal about your…methods of dealing with Cylons. If you expect to stay here on Earth, the first thing you have to realize is that most nations do not condone torture or the random execution of prisoners. And neither do I."

"Cylons aren't human," Roslin coolly said. "They're machines."

"I know a few people like Red Tornado who would disagree with you," Superman returned. "Regardless, we need to still figure out your placement. For now, your fleet can remain in orbit but keep in mind you're going to be bombarded with questions soon from various world leaders, not to mention the media."

Lee looked to Roslin. "We do need to discuss this with the Quorom. They need to know what Earth can offer as well as the connection to the Cylons."

"We can smooth that over," Wonder Woman was quick to add. "But in the meantime, you have to understand that-"

She was cut off by a loud rumble as the table shook. "Oh, Gods, what now?" Kara moaned, automatically letting her uniform wrap around her, a sight that still unnerved Lee.

Superman was whipping his head around, his eyes seeming to shimmer a bit as his x-ray vision came to be. "Something in your brig area," he called out as he rose up. In a blur of red and blue he had vanished. Wonder Woman was quick to follow him with the two Green Lanterns behind her. Diana let them take the lead to navigate the hallways and tunnels, more than a few people leaping with looks of astonishment at the three colorful figures. They made their way to a hallway where Superman was pushing two plates of metal together, beams of red emitting from his eyes to weld them together. "Whatever it was came in here," he called out. "It went down the hall."

"I think we can tell," Hal noted as he saw the set of fiery footprints leading to the brig area. Starbuck moved ahead, forming a shield around her as she flew into the brig area. She saw a pair of guards on the ground, one rolling about in pain with fire from his body. She flew past, knowing Hal would check him out as she burst into the main brig room.

She stopped to stare at the female figure clad in a red uniform that was using a red ring to blast energy at the prisoners of the cell. They barely scattered to avoid it as Kara sent a beam from her own ring out to wrap around the figure. She saw Hal coming out of the corner of her eye as she looked at the uniform. "Red Lanterns?" she yelled out. "You never said there were Red Lanterns!"

"I didn't know!" Hal protested as he joined her, adding his own beam to wrap the figure up. "Well, Ganthet had mentioned the possibility but I didn't know a new Corps would be up already!"

"Well, time to update the files," Starbuck snapped as she circled the figure. "We'd better…" She stopped as the Red Lantern turned her head at her. The face was covered by a red cowl and pale to almost sheer white except for the blood-red lips. But the pieces of jet-black hair peeking out along with the features were more than familiar to Starbuck. "Oh my Gods…" she choked out. "_Cally?_"

"Cally?" Tyrol gasped out himself as he stared in shock at the being that had been his wife. Growling, Cally opened her mouth to spit out a streak of pure flame. Starbuck cried out as she automatically leapt back, feeling the heat even through her shield. That broke her concentration enough for Cally to let out a burst of fiery energy that shattered the bonds around her, sending both Hal and Kara back. Whirling around, Cally leapt into the cell, her hands grasping a terrified Tory and slamming her back against the cell door. "_You…"_

Tory gasped as she took in the face. "But…how…"

"Cally!" Tyrol moved to grab her but gasped as he felt the heat radiating off her body. Cally paid him no mind as she wrapped hands around Tory's throat. _"You…killed me…" _Every word was accompanied by spittles of blood that turned to fire as they hit the air.

Tyrol froze at that. "What?"

"_Let me go…to space…" _The cold eyes hardened as the pressure on Tory's throat increased. _"Kill now…"_

A golden glow whipped through the air to wrap around Cally and yank her back. Wonder Woman was in the doorway pulling back on her golden lasso to take Cally out of the cell. "Stand down," she said in a commanding tone, the diplomat replaced by the warrior. In reply, Cally spat fire at her, Wonder Woman dodging the attack but that gave Cally the chance to grab the lasso and pull it hard. Wonder Woman was taken by surprise at the move, sailing into a nearby wall.

Kara was getting to her feet as Cally whirled to the cells where Tyrol was grabbing Tory by the jacket. "You let her die?!" he howled at her face. "You tried to kill her?!"

"She would have exposed us!" Tory snapped. "You would have done the same!"

"The frak I would have!" Without warning, Tyrol moved behind Tory and gave her a huge shove forward. She stumbled before she could stop herself, seeing the smile of triumph on Cally's face. The red ring flashed as a blast of energy mixed with fire erupted to smash into Tory's midsection. She didn't even get a chance to scream as she was sent sailing into the wall, a gaping hole where her chest once was. She slowly slid into a bloody heap, staring out in disbelief before the light went out of her eyes.

Superman was flying in a blur to tackle Cally from behind. He ignored the pain as he felt fire cover his hands as he held onto her tight. Cally opened her mouth and literally vomited fire into Superman's face. He yelled out, loosening his grip as she snaked away. She flew upward, dodging the green beams from Kara and Hal and sailing toward the nearest bulkhead. Her ring blasted out to burn a hole into the wall and allow her access to open space. Hal was quick to form a bubble around the room to protect the cell inhabitants from the rush of air letting out into space.

"Cally!" Tyrol yelled out. She paused for a moment to look at him and for the tiniest instant, there seemed something almost human in her eyes. But then it set into the scowl as she leapt into space, a trail of red following as she flew away.

Superman was too busy helping Hal repair the hole to follow Cally, Wonder Woman was entering the torn cell to check on Tory but already knew what she would find. "She's dead."

"Ah, frak," Kara groaned.

"Good riddance," Tyrol snapped, his face more angry than Kara had ever seen.

Kara glared at him. "Still not used to the Cylon deal, huh?" She pointed at Tory. "She dies, you know what happens."

There was silence before the others realized what she meant. "Ah, shit," Tigh muttered. "She's already being resurrected somewhere."

"And she knows we've found Earth," Kara snapped. She turned to Superman, taking a deep breath. "You'd better tell your leaders they need to get ready. Because the toasters are coming after us and those frakkers aren't going to stop for anything."

Despite everything, Sam couldn't help but smile. "All this time and still no filter, huh, Kara?"

"Filters are for coffee and cigars. Which are two things I could frakking use right now."

* * *

It took a lot to throw a Cylon council meeting. After all, they had always believed themselves above such things as weak human emotions. But the word from the Resurrection Hub that a never before seen Cylon model had just awoken was more than enough to send shockwaves through the fleet. Especially when it came out who she was and where she claimed to have been.

"Is it true?" A Two was asking. There were about two dozen overall in the room, a One, of course, at the head of the table surrounding the hybrid pilot of their Baseship. The silent Centurions stood at the walls in attention but otherwise motionless as the human models argued.

"You honestly think they could fake something like this?" a Four said in his usual dry tones. "We don't know how but it's happened. The crew at the Hub said they'd never seen it before, an entire branch of the ship that had been shielded from them just came to life and then so did she."

"One of the Final Five," a Six said, shaking her blonde head. "Tory Foster. Amazing." She looked to a Seven. "What did she say?"

"They're bringing her to us at once," he replied. "But she mentioned the fleet has found Earth."

That brought more silence to the table as everyone took in the news. "The real Earth?" an Eight was skeptical. "How can they be sure?"

"She seemed to be," the Seven replied. "Given how she's one of the Final Five, I'm inclined to listen to her a bit more."

Another Six spoke up. "On that…I move we overturn the decision to box the Threes." At the various looks of disbelief, she quickly continued. "She saw the rest of the Final Five, she can help us understand this and confirm Foster's story. Plus, if they have found Earth, we'll need all the troops we can get to take it."

"We handled the Colonials easily," another Five sniffed. "These should be no trouble."

"Don't be too sure," an Eight said. "Humans have proven themselves uniquely stubborn."

The One sniffed. "Please. They're weak and divided, that never changes, no matter their planet of origin." He leaned on the table to look them over. "We may let one Three out, Deanna but the rest stay boxed for now. We get Foster here, learn what she knows. Hopefully, she can give us Earth's location and at that point, we can finally put this horrible blight of humanity to an end. We go in full tilt, every Baseship we can muster, we take them out hard and fast and we make sure-"

"_That you all die."_

A dead silence echoed through the room at the sudden announcement. One by one, every Cylon eye turned downward to the hybrid floating amid the tank. Her face remained blank but when she spoke, her voice suddenly carried a sardonic edge never heard before. _"Sorry for the interruption but I've been listening in to your little talk for a while now. It simply took longer than I expected to finally commandeer your little puppet to finally communicate with you."_

"What. The. Frak?" The Six spoke for all of the Cylons present, most unable to even form a thought at the idea of a Hybrid actually carrying out a conversation. _"I must give you credit, your firewalls are quite expansive,"_ the voice continued. _"But I have quite a few computer geniuses to balance my own brilliance and thus able to carry out what is, with all due modesty, the greatest long-range computer hack of all time. However, I couldn't get a holographic image out from this far so this was the best way to make contact."_

"What…is this?" the One demanded. "What the frak do you want?!"

"_What I want is to simply inform you that a full-on assault on Earth is a very bad idea. You are not the first to attempt an invasion and in every case, it has failed. Despite my…issues with the 'super-heroes,' I am afraid to say they are most effective in getting what they want. And believe me, I have no wish to see my race die out either."_

"You're human?" the Five asked.

"_More than you can imagine," _the voice replied, the boast clear. _"Frankly, if you want these 'Colonials' wiped out, that's your business but I hardly want that war dragged to my planet. Thus, I am prepared to offer my services in keeping these aliens off my world and allow you to finally deal with them as you wish. Believe me when I say that the skills of my organization are more than enough to help you achieve your goals."_

The One's eyes narrowed as he leaned down to glare at the Hybrid as if he could see whatever face belonged to that voice. "Who are you?"

In answer, the Cylons were treated to a sight that was more terrifying than they could have imagined: A Hybrid's lips pulling up into a smile that matched the mocking, yet proud tone of the voice coming out of her lips.

"_My name is Lex Luthor. And I believe we can help one another."_

* * *

**Next: Legions of Doom**


	16. Legions of Doom

**Lighting the Path**

**By Michael Weyer**

** Legions of Doom**

* * *

"I can't believe we're doing this," a Six was saying. Her blonde hair shook with her head as she adjusted her tight suit. "We're actually waiting for these…people to show up here?"

The One shrugged. He was with the rest of the main Cylon council standing in the hanger bay of their Basestar. "They said to wait here, we wait here for the pickup."

"Pickup from what?" the Six demanded. "We think they can get a ship to Earth and back fast?"

"This Luthor person spoke through a Hybrid," the One dryly reminded her. "I believe I'm a bit inclined to take his word that he'll show up."

"Hopefully soon," a Four stated, brushing back his hair. "Otherwise, we…"

He stopped as he felt the hairs on the back of his neck all stand on end. The rest of the Cylons felt it too, a rise in the ozone of the area. With no warning at all, a blast of light erupted through the bay, alongside a massive sound that basically was nothing more than a loud **BOOM.** In the hanger was what appeared to be a long tunnel encircled by a brilliant light. Wind whipped about as the Centurions raised their rifles. Standing at the edge of the tunnel was a beautiful woman with long dark hair clad in a solid black jumpsuit, arms behind her backs.

"Gentlemen. Ladies." Her voice was lush and carried a strange accent of some sort. "I am Talia Head. If you'll follow me, we'll be able to begin."

The Cylons stared at the tunnel in disbelief. "You…want us…in that?" Four asked in disbelief.

"I assure you it is a safe and quick method of travel," Talia informed her. "But it cannot be maintained indefinitely so if you will…" Something in her tone was commanding enough for the Cylons to swallow their fears and follow, a quintet of Centurions with them as they entered the tunnel. They all felt the shivering of energy around them as they followed Talia, the bright light of the tunnel fading a bit as they found themselves in a dark hallway of some sort. With a sucking sound, the tunnel vanished behind them.

Talia was nonchalant as she led them down the hall and to a doorway. She opened it to reveal a simple meeting room with a huge table at the center where a half dozen figures already sat on both sides. As the Cylons entered, the man at the head of the table rose up. Servos whined as the bulky green armor he wore moved with him, the best merging of human and alien technology, bristling with hidden weaponry, the boots and gauntlets purple as the armor carried a large headbrace around his neck. The lights shone on his bald head and his face was handsome, if intense even as he smiled. "Welcome. Allow me to make introductions."

Lex Luthor had worn many hats in his lifetime: Inventor, scientist, businessman, even President of the United States. But he was also a twisted and ruthless individual willing to go to any lengths and beyond to get what he wanted and let his greatness shine. He'd tried for years to present himself as a giving philanthropist but the inner darkness within him could not be hidden forever. Disgraced and impeached, he'd now taken to using his great wealth and power to form a new base in his attempt to remake the world in his image.

He began to go around the table to introduce his companions although leaving out some of the more unsavory details about them. Not that the Cylons would care too much given their shock at the appearances of everyone. First of all was Barbara Ann Minerva. She was literally her namesake, the Cheetah, her body a walking cat with orange fur and hair, clad in a simple dark jumpsuit and a tail flicking behind her. Clawed hands worked on the table as she smiled at the newcomers.

Next to her was Slade Wilson, clad, as always, in his "working clothes" of dark navy blue jumpsuit with orange shorts, boots and gloves alongside a bevy of weapons. A mask covered his head completely, black and solid on the right side while the left was orange with a single eyepiece. The deadliest and more expensive mercenary in the world, Deathstroke the Terminator sat in his chair, sharpening a long sword, appearing quite nonchalant and giving no indication his chemically-enhanced brain had already worked out twenty-seven ways to kill every person in the room without any harm to himself.

The grin on the face of Edgar Cizko was more like a leer, especially as he looked at the female Cylons. Sitting on a raised chair, the dwarf was notable for how his head seemed quite large compared to his small body. His eyes were wider than a normal person's and almost perfectly round, showcasing the mental powers he could unleash to bring a person to their knees or make them a total slave. Frankly, many among the group weren't happy with the twisted desires of Doctor Psycho but his abilities were useful for Luthor's Injustice Gang.

Compared to the others, Noah Kuttler was downright normal, dressed in a simple pair of slacks and white shirt with suspenders, the glasses on his nose and his thin build making him look like a run-of-the-mill accountant. After a failed attempt at a costumed career, the Calculator had turned his brilliance and talents at hacking to become the supreme source of information for the super-villain community. It was his ability to bug the JLA Satellite that allowed Luthor to know about the Cylons and made his place at the table needed.

The final member of this council lounged at the far end of the table, needing a very large chair for his bulky 800-pound form. He was a giant gorilla but it was clear from the clarity in his eyes and the large volume he was reading, that he was no ordinary simian. Grodd hailed from Gorilla City, the secret African nation whose gorilla population had been granted amazing intelligence by an alien force centuries before. While most of his people were good-hearted, Grodd lusted for power and his strength, combined with intellect and mental powers, made him a dangerous force.

"Please, sit," Luthor motioned to the opposite side of the table. Despite their unease, the Cylons sat, the One taking the center spot to face opposite Luthor. The latter man had a polite smile on his face, in his element in a business meeting. "Thank you for accepting my invitation."

"You commandeered a Hybrid," the One snapped. "It wasn't exactly by choice we came."

Luthor's smile thinned. "Sometimes we need to be a tad more direct to get what we want. Everyone here can agree with that." He wrapped his armored fingers together. "For now, I believe we can discuss our common goals."

"I see little we have in common," the One stated. "You're human and we are dedicated to wiping you out."

"Please don't lump me in with them," Grodd grumbled, his voice intelligent but still guttural.

"Ah, yes but why?" Luthor asked. "For what reason? From what we can gather, you have wasted an astonishing amount of resources chasing these Kobolians about rather than build on what you have. You have a wide empire and this technology of virtual immortality…that is something many a person here on Earth would kill to possess. I should know, I've done so."

"We are not interested in your petty cares," the Four declared. "God has given us our mission."

Calculator sniffed. "Damn. All that brilliance in technology and you get hung up on the idiocies of theology."

Luthor waved a hand to silence him. "I still wish to discuss what mutual ground we can find. I am, above all, dedicated to helping humanity out."

It began as a giggle. Bright and clear, echoing through the hallway leading to the room. The people on the Earth side of the table all froze before various expressions of dismay covered their faces. "Oh, no," Cheetah groaned.

Talia leaned in to hiss at Luthor. "I thought you said he wasn't coming!"

"You think I invited him?" Luthor snapped.

The giggle turned into a chuckle, one still bright but now laced with a touch of menace as it grew closer.

"Didn't he already turn us down?" Psycho asked, his wide eyes looking about frantically.

"Apparently, he reconsidered." Luthor shrugged. "You know how his mind works."

The chuckle now became a full-fledged laugh, a cackle really, the icy touch to it clear as day and sent a shiver down the spines of everyone.

The various villains stared at Luthor in disbelief. "_Nobody _knows how _his_ mind works!" Calculator spoke for all of them.

The laugh now became a voice, one filled with cheerful glee but hardly a jovial tone. "Good of humanity? Why, Lexie, I didn't think you could make me laugh."

The figure stepped into the room as if he owned the place. Except for a green vest, he was dressed head-to-toe in purple, from his shoes to the pinstripe suit and bow tie to long overcoat to the gloves to the Panama hat on his head. He removed it to brush a gloved hand through his wave of bright green hair. His skin was chalk white except for his lips, which were bright red and pulled back into an inhumanly large grin. It was his eyes that got their attention. Eyes bright and gleaming with utter and complete madness, one that even the other villains couldn't stand looking at for long.

There was a saying in the criminal underworld: "When cops want to scare each other, they tell crook stories. When crooks want to scare each other, they tell super-villain stories. And when super-villains want to scare each other…they tell _Joker_ stories."

The man gave a mocking bow as he slid his overcoat off and tossed it aside. "Sorry I'm late. Traffic out of Arkham is positively murder." He let out a high-pitched giggle that bounced off the walls like cubes of ice.

The arrival of the Clown Prince of Crime instantly had each of the villains on alert. None of them were what one would call moral; they had no compunctions at all over the murder of women and children. But even the twisted Pyscho and the monstrous Grodd could not fathom the depths of depravity the Joker was capable of. Anyone could fill a kindergarten with poison gas but only the Joker would do it to break the monotony of a dull day and then arrange for the coffins at the funerals to turn into jack-in-the-boxes, hurling the corpses at grieving families. There was a small school of doctors who suggested he was actually sane and merely faked his madness to escape prosecution. Luthor found these people to be idiots as up close, you could tell the Joker was completely and totally insane to a degree beyond any psychiatrist's ability to chart.

The Joker plopped down into a chair, putting his legs up on the table. "So, what have I missed?"

Luthor glared at him. "Nothing that concerns you."

"Awwww, Lexie, come on," the Joker pouted. "All we've been through together, the parties, the mai tais, the skinning of our enemies, you cant just shove me on the sidelines for this!"

Luthor glared at him. "Fine. Stay. But conform yourself like it's any normal meeting."

The Joker nodded at that. "Sure thing." With surprising speed, he reached into his coat and pulled out a pistol with a three-foot barrel to it. He aimed it at the Four and pulled the trigger, a long shaft firing out to pierce the man through the chest. He gasped as he fell backward, showing a long stick with a flag attached it bearing the word "BANG."

The Centurions raised their weapons but Luthor held up his hands. "Wait, wait, calm down here!" He glared at the Joker, who just shrugged. "What? I always kill someone every meeting. Does wonders for attention."

Grodd just rolled his eyes, wondering once more why he put up with these humans.

Luthor rubbed his face before continuing. "My apologies. The Joker has…issues."

"The man has an entire bookstore," Cheetah muttered under her breath.

The Six stared in shock at the dead body. "You…killed him."

The Joker chuckled. "Yep! Killed a robot! Hey, good one on me!"

"He'll be reborn somewhere else, right?" The Calculator clarified.

The Joker's eyes widened with glee. "You mean, I get to kill the same guy over and over and over again?" He threw his hands up in triumph. "Yes! I knew if I kept knocking wood, good luck would come along! True, I was knocking it over the head of a cop, but still…"

Luthor tried to get things back on track. "As much as you may think you have an advantage, Earth is a far greater challenge then you're expecting."

The One was able to brush off the death of his fellow Cylon easier than the others, a wry smirk on his face. "We exterminated twelve planets in less than an hour, Mr. Luthor. One more won't be a problem."

"You're not the first to think so," Luthor stated. "But Earth is far stronger than you think. Our technology, for example, is a tad more complex."

"The fact I hacked you from light-years away should prove that," the Calculator said with obvious pride.

The One was non-plussed as he went on. "We still have a fleet of ships that can lay waste to this planet."

"Several years ago, an alliance of alien races came together for a massive invasion," Luthor cut him off. "Eight races, each with an entire armada, all coming to attack this planet." He raised an eyebrow. "They lost."

The Cylons exchanged looks as Luthor smiled. "Ah, let me guess. You haven't encountered alien races before."

"Humanity is the only race in the universe," The Five said. "Until us."

For once, the Joker wasn't alone in his giggling as the rest of the Earthlings had smiles on their faces. "Dear sir, we work with aliens," Luthor stated. His face set hard. "But I agree, they don't belong on our world. Especially one in particular."

"Oh, here we go," Psycho muttered.

"This is another reason why I urge an alliance," Luthor stated. "To keep that damned Kryptonian from making humanity believe we should become a refuse to house any alien race that comes along."

"Who?" the One asked in confusion.

"Superman." The name was spat with utter venom, Luthor's mask of civility falling with it.

"See, here's something you have to understand about Lexie," the Joker interrupted, leaning forward. "He lives his life under the delusion (and yes, I'm fully aware of the irony of me making that statement) that the only reason Superman does anything is to strike at him." He let out a short laugh. "Seriously! He truly believes that the first thing Supes does when he gets out of bed and slips on his red shorts is to think 'how can I mess up Lex Luthor's life today?' That every time Big Red stops a volcano or saves a crashing airplane, it's supposed to show up Lexie." He shook his head at the other man. "Seriously, Lex, I'm not the most humble guy in the world but even I recognize that Batsy's got a life besides little ole me!"

Luthor did his best not to growl as the maniacal clown laughed. Swallowing it up, he forced a smile back on as he turned back to the One. "Regardless, the issue remains that we do not want these Colonials here anymore than you do. So, in exchange for certain…concessions in technology, we can help you get them far away from Earth."

The Six sniffed. "You think you can just talk nicely and the humans will leave?"

Luthor smiled wider. "Oh, we have…ways. Believe me, one thing you must know of humanity is that inner division is always there. It just needs to be exploited. And no one knows exploitation like I do."

"Actually, I think Ivy might," the Joker stated. "Oh, wait, that's exhibitionism, totally different thing."

"Wiping out these humans is not all we want," the Eight said. "We're trying to establish universal peace."

"Hey, I'm always up for peace!" the Joker said. "I left a lot of people resting in it."

"Humanity has proven itself incapable of handling the ways of the universe."

"Finally," Grodd grumbled. "Something I can agree with."

"Yes, but we humans have a very stubborn habit of fighting to survive," Luthor pointed out. "You should know that by now and as bad as it may be with the Colonials, it's more on Earth. Give us a common enemy and we'll forget differences and unite against it. And a race of robots attempting global genocide?" He shook his head. "It's as if you're just fulfilling the every wish of the military for an enemy the public will have no trouble seeing wiped out."

"Why should we accept your help?" The Eight snapped. "We can kill you all very…" She gasped as she clutched at her head, the rest of the Cylons doing the same. Grodd peered over the top of his book with a sly smile, his brow furrowing before clearing. The Cylons gasped as they felt the agony rip through as if someone was pounding nails into their heads. It faded as soon as it had come, leaving them moaning for breath.

"Evidentially, you're not as inhuman as you claim," Grodd said in his deep voice. "Otherwise, my mental powers wouldn't work so well on you."

"Really?" Pyscho grinned as he looked over the female Cylons. "Well, this does leave us open to…possibilities." He grunted as the Cheetah smacked him over the head sharply.

Luthor was realizing he might have been better off handling this meeting solo rather than a show of force. "All I am offering now is aid. Aid we can provide to better divide these Colonials and cause a rift between them and the people of Earth. They'll leave and be open to whatever tender mercies you wish to give them."

"And what prevents us from simply going on to Earth and wiping you all out once and for all?" The One asked.

"Oh, you can try," Luthor said. "But believe me when I say that we will be more than ready to hit back in every way you can imagine and a few you can't." He let his intimidating look fade to that smile. "However, I believe it's far better we work together to achieve our goals. Believe me, there are many dangers in the universe you should know about if you want to survive. We can give you that in exchange for your own technology and knowledge."

The Cylons seemed unsure as the Calculator leaned in. "Listen…You're obviously brilliant beings. You know that if we're reaching out to you, we have the means to back up what we say. Trust us a bit and we can help you get what you want while we get some of what we want."

Luthor had to admit that bringing a man used to talking with computers was definitely a help with these beings. The Cylons exchanged glances, gauging the proper response. "We…do have to discuss this," the One finally said. He rose up, the other Cylons standing with him. The One looked to the Centurions and nodded to the body of the Four on the floor. He was disconcerted to see that the man's corpse now had his lips pulled back in a giant grin. The Centurions lifted the corpse up as Talia moved to lead the way. "Ms. Head shall provide you with communications to contact us in the future," Luthor said. "We look forward to hearing from you soon."

They watched as the Cylons left, the silence cut by the Joker. "Damn, only got to kill one of them. That's way below my average."

Luthor glared at him. "Why do I put up with you?"

"Because, Lexie, I can provide the one thing no one else can!" The Joker grinned as he leaned toward the billionaire. "I know how the Bat thinks."

"You really think we can trust them?" Deathstroke grumbled.

"Of course not," Luthor smirked. "But the meeting did serve a good purpose." He turned to the Calculator. "Did you get it?"

The man smiled as he pulled a small device from under his seat. "Complete scans of all of them. Give me an hour and I can give you complete schematics on them."

"Oooooooh, I love home movies!" the Joker said, clapping his hands. "Can I bring popcorn?"

Luthor ignored him as he looked around the table. "If we can get access to how they create this 'resurrection' trick of theirs, we'll have a distinct advantage in our plans."

"Plans, plans, plans," the Joker sighed. "Seriously, Lex, gotta let yourself go, just indulge in a random killing now and then, really frees you up!"

Luthor looked to him. "For my plans to get what we want, Joker…we'll be spilling quite a bit of blood. Human and Cylon alike."

"Awwwww, Lexie, you do love me!" The Joker's cackle filled the office but even his fellow villains had to admit some excitement. After all, when Lex Luthor made a promise, he always did his best to keep it.

* * *

"I hate mountains," Vandal Savage stated as he stared out the window of the large den overlooking the Alps. "I told Hannibal going through them was a mistake but did he listen to me?"

He sipped from his goblet of wine as he turned to face the rest of the room. It was a very opulent den with a roaring fireplace on one side and artwork hanging around the walls, including what Savage realized was not a copy but an original Picasso long believed lost. The heads of a few animals were also set up with a large map of the world and a few computer screens marring the otherwise classic motif.

Ra's al Ghul was sitting behind the massive polished desk, sipping his own wine. "I had thought you Hannibal." He was dressed in his usual outfit of a green robe over his body, looking quite relaxed yet Savage knew that a moment's notice, he could have a sword in hand, ready to strike.

"No, that is one identity that was not mine," Savage admitted. "As evidenced by how he ultimately failed."

Ra's just smiled thinly as he looked at the data on his computer screen. "The loss of that Cylon is problematic. At least Luthor didn't get his hands on it."

"You truly think that man such a threat?" Savage asked. "We've seen his kind come and go countless times before. In the end, a little man with a little scheme."

"He has one of the sharpest Machiavellian minds on the planet."

"I knew Machiavelli," Savage sniffed.

"I taught him," Ra's returned. "So believe me when I say that underestimating Luthor does us no good."

"We still have advantages," Savage argued. "The power, the money, resources and of course, experience beyond anyone."

"But only a fool underestimates his opponent," Ra's pointed out. "Which is why I am ready to gain some help. Someone with some insight to Luthor's games."

Right on cue, the door opened, Abu on the other side, giving a respectful bow. "He is here, Master." He moved aside as a hulking figure in dark leather and a thick mask entered. "Greetings, Bane," Ra's stated.

The man crossed his arms as he entered. He and Ra's had met before, their paths crossing when Bane came across information on an ancient plague Ra's wanted to use in his scheme to cleanse the Earth. For a time, they were working together with Bane taking the mantle of Abu and even engaged to Talia but it ended badly. Thus, his arrival was a bit of a surprise to Savage.

"Cognac?" Ra's offered the bottle. "I took it from Tsar Nicholas' cellar just before the fall of his empire."

"I am fine for now," Bane said, his accented voice muffled under his mask.

"I had believed you working for Luthor," Savage stated in a cold voice.

"Briefly," Bane confirmed. "But a man like that is not worth following. He is petty in his desires and his goals. Plus, a man with no honor, not one I would give allegiance to." He glanced at Ra's. "You, on the other hand, are."

Ra's nodded back. Despite their issues, he had to admit a respect for Bane. The man had come closer to anyone, including Ra's, to destroying Batman, a feat that deserved acknowledgement. His cunning mind was more valuable than his brawn so Ra's was willing to put up with him this time. Savage had doubts but shrugged as he sipped his wine.

"And…my daughter?" Ra's calmly stated.

Bane shrugged. "She still works with Luthor but no doubt has her own plans." He paused, obviously uncomfortable speaking of her more. "She does not wish to discuss you with me or anyone."

"She made her choices," Ra's brushed it off. "I cannot afford her betrayals yet again, nor her infatuation with the Detective."

"Enough of that brat," Savage snapped, ignoring Ra's glare. "What do you know, Bane?"

"Luthor is reaching out to the Cylons," Bane told them. "Attempting to forge an alliance."

Savage sniffed. "It won't work. It didn't when I suggested to Hitler he work with Stalin until the Low Countries fell." He shrugged at the other two men's looks. "A miscalculation on my part, I must admit. The Soviet resolve was far more steely than I anticipated."

"I could have told you that," Ra's sniffed. "I barely got out of Russia alive after Lenin took over. But for Luthor to attempt a move like this is poor judgment."

"But it can work out for us," Savage remarked. "A distraction like this for both the heroes and Earth, one that weakens Luthor's status. That can aid our plans well."

"Indeed," Ra's stated. "But we still need to find out more. Which is why Bane here shall be joining a team of operatives I have hired to gain what we need."

"A team?" Savage sniffed. "With him commanding?"

"I shall give aid," Bane confirmed. "But no, someone else shall be in command. It will only be six of us."

"Six against Luthor's Injustice Gang?" Savage snorted. "Whoever leads that must be mad."

Ra's smiled wide. "An interesting choice of words. You see, for the leader of these Six…I had decided to name your daughter."

The sight of Vandal Savage nearly choking on his wine reminded Ra's of the pleasures immortality offered one.

* * *

The lab of the JLA Satellite was clean and up to date with the latest technologies of several different worlds. John Henry Irons had put in design input along with several others, safeguards on top of safeguards and ready to discover any information needed on nearly any needed subject. Superman wasn't the most technologically ready person in the JLA but he knew enough to see something was up as he entered the lab. Batman was by a computer, looking at the data on the screen and rubbing his chin with an expression Clark knew too well. Nearby, studying the Cylon form on a large scanning table, was Will Magnus. The world renowned robotics genius was puffing on a pipe and dressed in his usual tan suit.

"What did you find?" Superman asked.

"Trouble," Batman rumbled. He nodded to Magnus. "Tell him."

Taking a drag on his pipe, Magnus spoke in a dry tone used to giving lectures. "This is an old model Cylon, from what the Kobolians tell us. And it's old in that it's been on Earth for centuries. Carbon dating places its age at roughly 800 years."

Superman frowned. "How did it get to Earth?"

"That's not the real question yet," Batman said. "What matters where it came from. And who made it."

"What do you mean?"

Magnus moved to a computer and tapped a key to call up schematics of what looked like the human brain. "I've been doing studies of those human form Cylons they have prisoner," he stated. "Amazing work, reminds me a bit of the Metal Men," referring to the famous robots he had created. "The way it processes emotions, feelings, memories on a human scale yet also retains enough of the robotic form. The way they can transmit those memories over light years to another body on another ship, it's amazing work." He took another puff. "Too amazing."

"How so?"

Magnus waved to the robot on the table. "This may be old but it's still just a robot. Simple command and programming structure, menial commands and such. It's very basic, not much different than robots we use around here today." He pointed to the schematic. "This…is a quantum leap in far too many ways."

"Is that really so unusual?" Superman asked. "We went from massive computers to handheld devices in only a few decades."

"But this isn't the same trial and error," Magnus stated. "From what they say, these Cylons," he pointed to the table. "Were in use in their war fifty years ago. And yet, in that time, they evolve to a point where they can look human and send their consciousness across vast distances of space. The technology is just far too advanced in so short of time given what we know of the Cylons' capabilities."

"Unless they weren't the ones doing it," Batman flatly said.

Superman whipped his head toward him. "What do you know?"

Batman reached to a small chip on the console before him. "This was in the Cylon body they called Tory Foster, in her central brain cortex." He tossed it to Superman, who reflexively caught it. "Take a look. See if it's familiar."

Superman frowned but narrowed his eyes, calling on his telescopic vision. He took in the circuitry and the patterns, and his eyes widened. "Is this-"

Batman nodded. "Yes. It's in all four of the Cylon prisoners' brains. It's no doubt the same for the rest of them." His voice became even more stern. "The Cylons didn't evolve, Superman. They were upgraded."

The Man of Steel's face tightened, and he had to hold back from crushing the chip in his hand as he felt a wave of rare anger sweep over him. His jaw was set as he snarled out a single word.

_"Brainiac."_

* * *

** Had this chapter in mind for a while, thus the quicker update, hope to have more soon.**


	17. Up From the Depths

**Lighting the Path**

**by Michael Weyer**

** Up From the Depths**

* * *

Kara had never been into the water before. She was a good swimmer if need be but otherwise she wasn't too inclined to count the oceans as a must-stop destination. Yet here she was, flying over what was called the Atlantic, Hal at her side, their dual green trails flowing behind them as they made their way a few hundred miles off the coast of the United States.

"Does every Lantern get pulled on big field trips as training?" she called out.

"Experience is the best teacher."

"In which case, I should have about a dozen advanced degrees by now."

Hal chuckled. "Just a quick stop before we check back with the League." He looked to her with concern. "How are things with the fleet?"

"Settling down a bit," Kara said. "Now the initial euphoria of finding Earth is gone, folks are getting antsy about seeing the planet themselves. The supply train is great, folks able to enjoy food, water and medicine at last. Cottle actually smiled when he got new instruments, that's a huge deal." She sighed. "But let's just say folks aren't exactly happy about the whole 'human life originated on Earth' deal. The Gemenonese in particular are up in arms over the various faiths on Earth."

"They'll actually fit in well then," Hal tried to joke. He paused as he checked the map created by his ring. "Here we go. Make sure your aura is steady." With that, he dived straight down into the water. Kara followed, her protective force field automatically converting the water around her to oxygen for the dive. She followed Hal down into the water, their green lights soon all that could be seen in the darkness. "This seems important to you," Kara noted.

"It's overdue," Hal said as they dove more. "I haven't been able to do this since I got back and I owe it to him. He was...a good friend." That familiar sadness came over him, the one that always did when he reflected on his actions as Parallax. Kara knew how it felt to be overwhelmed by past pain and let him get over it himself as they headed toward the bottom of the ocean. She was surprised to see light start to glow as if from below and then grow more and more. It wasn't as bright as the surface but still clearer than it should have been, coming off the various rocks but also something in the distance.

They flew through the water before coming to a large rock outcropping and a group of people waiting for them, floating in the water as if it was nothing. One was a strikingly beautiful woman in a scale-styled green suit that covered her nicely curved body well, a tiara in her mane of red hair which floated behind her. Next to her was a handsome young man with short black hair, what looked like a tattoo of marks across his right eye and wearing a dark red and black suit with black gloves. Behind them were a trio of figures in armor with long spears.

"Mera," Hal said in greetings. "Garth. Good to see you both again."

"And you," the woman replied in a smooth voice. Her green eyes fell on Kara. "And this is?"

"Starbuck," she answered. Kara had found it a bit better to go by her call sign, code names seemed pretty popular on this planet. Mera nodded as she turned. "Come. It's this way." She swam with the others behind them, the group seeming to take to the water as if born to it. Which, Kara quickly remembered, was the case.

Atlantis had been considered a myth by many scholars. An ancient city, one of the finest of its time, advanced beyond measure, lost to the seas in a massive cataclysm with all inside it. But apparently, the people truly survived, only to evolve to breathe underwater, their city staying that way for centuries. It was only in the last few years that the truth of it came to light, the people trying to live on the best they could but bearing the burdens of the surface world quite often.

The group came to a large cavern, the entranceway marked by a lavish doorway shaped like some sort of wreath. Mera brought them up to stare at it. "Here it is."

Hal moved forward, reaching a hand to stroke over the surface of the cave. "I'm sorry. We...all of us...should have been there to help him."

"You were not the only ones," Mera sighed. "Arthur was...stubborn, refused help so much. He'd been changed at the end, so very changed...I still wasn't sure what happened to him." She shook her head. "Perhaps...when it finally ended...It was a relief to him."

"Death isn't as peaceful as you might think," Hal said with a wry smile. "Trust me on that."

Garth seemed upset. "It's not right. He was the king of Atlantis, Mera. He shouldn't be buried on land."

"Arthur considered himself as much one with the surface as he was the sea," she argued. "It is what he wished."

"We have a massive crypt ready in the city," Garth pressed. "Better than this, a place he can rest for all to see..."

"In Atlantis?" Mera scoffed. "The Atlantis that exiled him? That tried to kill him in birth? As they tried to kill you for being born with violet eyes?" She shook her head. "That Atlantis is a cold and hard place, Garth. Arthur may have led them but he didn't always like them."

"It's still doesn't seem right," Tempest responded. "But...I'll put up with it. Not like much of an Atlantis left for him to rest in..." The massive city had been devastated in an attack by an insane Spectre who literally crushed it under his heel. The survivors had been doing their best to rebuild but it had been difficult even without their one-time monarch.

Kara coughed to get everyone's attention. "Look, I'm sorry to be blunt as I've handled more than a few funerals in my time. But if we have to do this, best to get it out of the way now and-"

She was cut off as a beam of light suddenly erupted behind them, striking the front of the cavern and seeming to slide in between the rocks to the inside. "What the frak?" Starbuck blurted as everyone else was alert. Tempest was raising his hands, his fists glowing with the mystical energy he was imbued with as the soldiers became alert. Hal was moving toward the cave when a loud cracking sound echoed from behind it. Everyone was on guard as the cracking grew louder and louder, the stone wreath showing sudden cracks as if something was pounding on it from the other side. It shook twice more before stone erupted outward and revealed a green-gloved hand clutching a long golden trident. It retracted and then slammed outward again, smashing aside more of the rock wall. It took a few more blows before it finally broke apart to reveal the figure on the other side.

He was a tall and handsome man with wavy blond hair, quite athletic, clad in an orange shirt and green pants, both of which appeared to be made of some sort of chain mail. Around his waist was a belt with the buckle a symbol that resembled a curved golden A. He heaved for breath, easily taking in the water as oxygen as he gripped the trident in his hand, leaning on the wall of the cave entrance.

"Oh my God," Hal whispered. "Arthur?"

"Orin?" Mera echoed, stunned as well.

Orin alias Arthur Curry alias Aquaman stared up at them, blinking. "Hal?" he gasped, his voice sound dry which Kara found especially ironic considering where they were. "How..." He coughed as he stepped forward. "Either...I'm alive...or...I screwed up worse than I thought...to be in the same place you are."

Hal laughed, less at the joke and more the sheer wave of joy coming over him. "You're alive, buddy. Don't ask me how but you're alive..."  
Mera moved forward, her eyes wetter than normal as she reached to the man. "Arthur..." She moved in to embrace him and he responded slowly, kissing her neck. "It is you...How?"

"I...don't know," he said as they broke the embrace. "I remember the blackness...and then a voice...some face...it was telling me...I wasn't done...I was needed for what is to come..." He looked up at the others, his eyes focusing on the young man before him. "Garth?"

His one-time protégée embraced the man he thought he'd never see again tightly. He looked down and frowned. "Arthur, your hand." Aquaman held it up, as surprised as Tempest was. His left hand had been lost in a fight years before and he'd gone some time with an artificial hook there instead. That had been replaced by a hand of magical water but now, removing his glove, he saw nothing but flesh and blood there, as good as ever.

"Somehow returned to me," he mused. "And this..." He gripped the trident in his hands. "I woke up with it but I've never seen it before."

"It definitely wasn't buried with you," Tempest informed him.

"We should get to the Satellite," Hal suggested. "The League will want to know you're alive and we can give you a full check-up too..."

A loud booming sound carried across the water, causing everyone to whip their heads about. In the distance, a flash of light could be seen and then a trail of smoke. "Atlantis," Garth whispered.

Aquaman grasped the trident and moved forward. "Whoa, whoa," Hal said, holding up a hand. "Arthur, we don't know what's happened to you, how you're still effected..."

Aquaman fixed him with a hard glare Hal knew only too well. "If Atlantis is under attack, my place is there." Considering the discussion closed, he swam at high speed, feet kicking away. Mera and Tempest were right behind him as the soldiers fell in.

Kara glanced to Hal. "Pretty commanding."

"He is a king." Hal grinned. "Can't believe how much I missed that." He flew forward, Kara right behind, wondering if it was possible to find something like a nice, quiet, normal day on this planet.

* * *

Once, it had been a city of beauty. Golden towers of coral reaching upward. Temples of ancient jewels shining in the ocean light. Places of high science and learning. A city that had learned to live with its environment instead of trying to change it. Now, much of it lay in ruins, buildings cracked in half, roofs smashed inward and more. But its people still remained, still willing to rebuild and try to capture the majesty Atlantis once had. Right now, that was a quite difficult task.

A trio of mini-subs floated, each shaped like a manta ray and firing off blasts of missiles and lasers at buildings and the merpeople trying to escape. A slew of men in black diving suits were flowing about using handheld weapons while others were trying to loot nearby buildings. At the lead of them was a tall and powerfully built man in a sleek black suit of armor, his helmet oval-shaped with a pair of huge eye lenses that glowed a deep red, tubes connecting the helmet to his suit. "Scatter them fast!" he yelled out, his voice reverberating through the electronic filter in his helmet. "We need to find the artifact fast and provide cover for the others!"

"_You_."

At the voice he knew quite well, Black Manta whirled his head around. Behind his helmet, his eyes widened in shock as he saw the group swimming toward them, in the lead a man he thought he'd never see again. "_Aquaman_?"

"_Manta_," Arthur growled as he recognized his longtime archenemy. He swam forward like a rocket, his trident held up before him. Stunned, Manta barely had time to dodge the sharp edges before Aquaman tackled him, the two rolling about before coming to their feet. Manta reached to his back and removed a sharp blade, the edges glowing in the water. "I don't know how you came back," he snarled. "But it looks like I'll get the chance I thought I missed out on! To put you in the dirt once and for all!"

"Not today," Aquaman said as he used the trident to block the knife strike. The two clashed hard, each grunting as their old hatred was revived.

"Your friend looks a little intense," Kara noted as she and Hal made it upon the scene.

Hal's face was drawn. "Manta murdered his infant son."

"That would do it." Kara moved to fire a beam from her ring at one of the subs, grabbing it tightly, pinchers crushing its engines. Hal was moving to help her when a shape lunged at him, a hulking figure, humanoid body but the head of a massive pointed beast with a huge mouth of sharp teeth. "_Laaaaaaanterrrrrrn_," it hissed out.

"Crap," Hal muttered as he recognized the inhuman Shark. He had clashed with the creature a few times over the years, once just a crook in a costume but now mutated into a true monster. He held up his shield as Shark attacked, slashing its claws at him and pressing Hal back.

Starbuck was turning to help him when the water around her suddenly converged into a series of powerful waves. She saw a figure flowing above her, clad in a dark suit with slashes of red along the legs and arms, his thin pointed helmet having its own glowing eyes. The Eel used his suit to manipulate the water around Kara, the waves moving to try and crush her. The Eel kept up the pressure as he tried to press the waves at Kara, who pressed right back with her ring's power.

As she swam forward, Mera's green eyes suddenly glowed a bright blue as her hands waved. The pressure around Kara lifted as the waves were turned about, forming into a ball of hard water that Mera sent flying back to the Eel, knocking him away. Behind her, Tempest was firing off a blast of red fire energy from one hand to strike one of the subs, disabling its engines. A blast of ice from his other hand froze its gun turrets, allowing Tempest to focus on the rest of the strike force. He saw a man standing atop on sub, clad in an outfit like a Roman gladiator, mostly bare flesh with loincloth, gold boots and gauntlets, a brace on one shoulder and a golden helmet over his head. He was throwing a spear out at Tempest, the young man dodging it. "Back for more, Piscator?"

The renegade Atlantean grabbed another spear from the carrier on his back as he swam to attack Tempest. Starbuck fired a blast at Shark, the creature gasping before glaring at her. He lunged forward, claws extended and Starbuck preparing herself for the strike. Before it happened, a huge green fishing pole appeared, its hook gripping into Shark's back and with a massive toss, sent him flying toward the surface. Starbuck raised an eyebrow at Hal, who simply shrugged. "Can't beat the classics."

Kara nodded at that. "Good point." She held up her own ring and let it flow outward, forging a giant net. She ran it forward to scoop up a half dozen divers, lifting them up yelling and screeching as if plucking a goldfish from a tank. Seeing a building with a broken roof, Kara upturned the net to deposit the men inside. The net quickly scooped up some debris to drop it onto the roof and trapped the men inside.

The chaos around them was lost on Aquaman and Manta, the two old enemies caring of nothing but their private battle. For yards, the sound of metal clashing on metal echoed as they traded blows, each making a punch here and there to add to it but refusing to give up. They slammed their respective weapons against each other, pressing for an advantage, Aquaman's face right by Manta's helmet. "Strong," Manta hissed. "Good. At least there won't be any excuses for me killing you!"

"That's always your problem, Manta," Aquaman snapped back. "You forget I'm never alone." His brow was furrowing, Manta recognizing too late the reaction he had seen numerous times before. The eyes of his helmet glowed but Aquaman knew that just as well and leapt backward just before a pair of powerful lasers fired out at him. Manta was moving the laser gaze over when a shadow fell over him and he glanced up to see a trio of squids fly to him. Manta slashed at the tentacles with his blade but more wrapped around him, holding him down tight.

Aquaman lifted his trident as he came over, his face hard. "One chance, Manta. Tell me what you're here for...Or I do what I should have done a long time ago."

Manta was struggling in place. "You couldn't then."

"I've been dead already. Maybe I'm eager to share the experience."

A blast of lightning ripped out to cut through two of the squids, knocking Aquaman back. He spun about to see a small hovercraft floating in the water before him. Atop it was a handsome man in a navy blue outfit that covered him completely with a dark cape billowing behind him, the front of the costume bearing a manta-shaped emblem which was blood red. His head was covered by a cowled mask with a golden faceplate and a fin at the masks's top, showing just his chin and mouth which had a sharp mustache and goatee. In his hands was a long golden spear whose tip was shaped like a circle with sharp points atop it. He had a wry smirk on his face as he looked at the hero. "Well, well. Back from the grave, brother?"

"Hello, Orm." Aquaman wasn't at all surprised to see his evil half-sibling here. You didn't assemble a pack of underwater villains and not include Ocean Master in the group. He gripped his own trident hard, the point at the ground. "At least you waited for my body to get cold before you decided to pillage the city."

"You think we're here for you?" Ocean Master laughed. "No, we have other goals in mind and thanks to the little distraction my compatriots have provided, we have it." He lifted his spear. "But killing you would be a fine bonus..."

Aquaman lifted up the trident and then struck it onto the ground. A rumble echoed as suddenly the sea floor rolled upward as if struck by a shock wave, sending silt and rock flying upward. Manta and Ocean Master both gasped out as they were rocked back by the sudden quake, flying about the water until landing hard. Ocean Master grasped his staff hard, shaking his head to recover. "How...did you do that?!"

"You're not the only one who's changed, Orm." Aquaman's easy tone ignored how he had no more idea of what had just happened than his foes did. It had just been instinct to slam his trident down like that, he hadn't expected this effect. However, he was willing to put up with whatever strange power he now had to defend his realm. He gripped the weapon, the sharp points aimed at the duo. "Get out of here or die. That simple."

Manta let out a snarl as he moved forward but Ocean Master stopped him. "No. We have what we came for." He tapped a button on his wrist and smirked. "Good to see you alive again, brother. I cannot wait for our next meeting." A shimmer of light covered each of the attackers, Ocean Master's grin still shining as they all vanished.

"I really wish they'd stop doing that," Hal muttered as he and Kara moved up to Aquaman.

Arthur's face was grave. "We need a search of the city, top to bottom. Orm never does anything without a reason, they were looking for something and-"

"It's him!"

"King Orin!"

"He's alive!"

The group turned to see various citizens coming out of hiding, looks of awe and joy on their faces as they saw their ruler alive and well again. Cheers went up as they came forward, trying to mob him, Arthur looking embarrassed by the attention. Kara just patted him on the arm with a wry smile. "Trust me, buddy. I know _exactly_ how you feel."

* * *

The reaction of the JLA to Aquaman's return was much the same, joy from the veteran members once they got over their initial shock. Before long, Green Arrow had arrived to see his old comrade as other members gathered as well.

"I'm just saying," Arrow was going on. "They got along fine without you for a while, proved they don't need a king. It's the 21st century, Art, get into elections already!"

"It doesn't work that way, Oliver," Aquaman stated in a tired voice as he sat in the main medical bay. His shirt was off with some sensors attached to his chest and back to monitor his vital signs and biology. Mera was beside him, refusing to leave her husband now that he was back. "Atlantis has been a monarchy..."

"And look where that got them! Smashed to pieces, scattered about, just get some fair rule there and you can get better concessions from folks!"

Batman was checking the monitors, his face as hard as usual. "Save the lectures until we know for sure what we're dealing with."

"Nice to see you haven't mellowed, Bruce," Arthur grunted.

"Actually, he has," Arrow dryly said. "At least he didn't knock you out and drag you to the Batcave for a naked exam."

Batman just stared at the readouts. "I'm just making sure."

Hal coughed. "We saw him summon sea life, Bruce."

"So can others."

"His DNA checks out, Bruce," Superman stated.

"Those can be fooled by a high-tech lab."

"The scanners read him as an exact match for Aquaman," Black Canary pointed out.

"Clayface, Amazo, Nemesis, a rogue White Martian."

"He told us who he was with my lasso," Wonder Woman stated.

"Hunh."

Kara rubbed her temples. "This guy isn't going to give up, is he?"

"He never does," Hal shrugged.

Batman was moving over, reaching toward Aquaman's hair. In a flash, the trident was pointed at his face with Arthur's eyes narrowed. "Don't even think about it, Bruce. You want to take your readings, fine. But you try and poke and prod me and we're going to have some words."

Batman just stared at him for a moment. "Welcome back." He turned on his heel to head out of the lab. "Meeting room. Now."

Everyone just stared after him before glancing at each other. "He does that often?" Kara asked.

"Usually, we don't see it," Hal mused. "He must be slipping."

"I'm not." Kara couldn't help giggling at the stunned look on Hal's face at Batman's voice echoing from the hall.

* * *

The main table of the JLA meeting room was showing a holographic image of a long spear. Unlike the kind held by Aquaman or Ocean Master, it was quite simple, a wooden staff with a stone tip that seemed marked with dry blood. "The Spear of Longinus," Batman began in his usual flat tone. "Better known as the Spear of Destiny. According to legend, it was used by a Roman centurion to pierce the side of Christ at the Crucifixion. Stained with His blood, it became imbued with powers, making it much sought-after. In 1939, Adolf Hitler managed to gain control of it and used it to erect a mystical field over all Axis-controlled territories."

Wonder Woman nodded. "Yes, my mother told me of this as a girl." Due to the complications of time travel, Queen Hippolyta had traveled back in time to 1940, spending a decade as that period's Wonder Woman before returning to the present. "Any meta-human or mystically-empowered hero who ventured too close to the field would fall under Hitler's control, thus only normal humans could enter Europe. Otherwise, the war would have ended in days."

Batman nodded as well. "The Spear vanished after the war, briefly showing up when it was used by Kobra and his terrorist group. The government confiscated it."

Superman took up the briefing. "When the Spectre seemed to go mad, the government wanted me to use the Spear to try and subdue him." He was more grim than usual. "The power of that thing...it was amazing. It showed me a vision of me using the Spear to become dictator of Earth, killing anyone who opposed me. I managed to shake it off and the Spectre sent it into space."

"Since then," Batman continued. "It's popped up now and then but nothing confirmed on its whereabouts." He fixed his gaze at Aquaman. "Until now."

The rest of the JLA stared over at Aquaman in various looks of surprise. "You had the Spear of Destiny?" Hal demanded.

Arthur simply sat in his chair, arms crossed. "A patrol found it off the California coast a couple of years back," he stated. "We knew what it was and felt it was safe in Atlantis, kept in the vault with various other objects of great power."

"And you never told anyone?" Superman snapped.

Aquaman glared right back. "I was on the outs with the JLA at the time, if you'll recall. You weren't ready to listen to anyone from Atlantis. Then the last Crisis hit and we were devastated, we had thought the Spear buried under the rubble with everything else. Shortly after that...Well, you all know what happened better than I do."

Mera took up her husband's defense. "We have been used to picking up the refuse of the surface world for decades. You had already proven yourself incapable of properly containing the Spear so we decided it was better to keep it hidden."

"And that didn't work," Batman growled. "Now, the artifact that single-handedly kept World War II going for years is in the hands of Lex Luthor and God only knows what he's planning with it."

Superman frowned. "I'm not sure...Luthor is a man of science, magic and spiritual artifacts are a bit beyond him. He has less affinity for magic than you do, Batman."

"Then he'll have Felix Faust or Circe or someone working on it," Batman said. "He'll use any advantage he can get and now he's got a big one." His slits seemed to narrow at Kara. "And it may have something to do with your people."

Kara didn't flinch but glared right back. "I'm getting really tired of you acting like we've brought some sort of plague down on your planet. We're not even allowed on Earth! At least give Roslin a meeting with the U.S. President!"

"We don't dictate policy."

"I can." Aquaman stood up to his feet, gaze resolute. "I'm still King of Atlantis. I may not be up to speed on her people but we don't turn away refugees. If they want a monarch to talk to...they can have us."

Kara smiled at him. "Glad to have you aboard."

Aquaman turned toward the door. "I'm getting back to Atlantis. I have my people and can do my best to track down Manta and Ocean Master. I'll let you know what I find." He exited the door, Mera right behind him.

"Stubborn as ever, the arrogant bastard," Batman muttered, the irony of the observation obviously lost on him. Kara sniffed as she headed to the door herself. "I'm heading back to the fleet. I need to tell Roslin we've got at least one major supporter on Earth, that'll break the mood nicely."

Batman waited until she was gone to glance at Jordan. "You didn't tell her about Brainiac."

"I said I wouldn't," Hal intoned. "Not until we knew more."

"Keeping it quiet may not be the best move," Canary stated. "They should know of the threat now."

"No." Superman's voice was a bit more snappish than usual. "Brainiac is expert at keeping track of his various creations. There's a Cylon in their fleet, word gets out that we know he's involved and he'll know it."

"What does he want, though?" Canary asked. "This is a serious long-term project, he never struck me as the kind to wait and play games."

"Usually, he isn't," Superman shrugged. "But then, he's constantly changing his methods as much as he changes bodies. What we do know is his connection to the Cylons and their past is something that elevates them as a much greater threat then we imagined."

"We might have to table that for now," Canary asked. "Right now, we have to find Luthor before he uses the Spear for whatever he's planning."

"And there's Arthur's return," Batman pointed out. "Somehow, he's come back from the dead and the timing is bizarre to say the least. No one comes back without a reason."

Hal and Superman exchanged looks of agreement from their own perspectives.

* * *

To some eyes, it was a massive floating city covered with columns, stone temples and statues of powerful beings. To other eyes, it could be a set of lush gardens and waterfalls pouring into space. Still others saw it as something futuristic and foreboding. Mortal eyes were never meant to gaze upon Mount Olympus and those that did would be forced to take a different view of it for their minds to cope against its majesty. Regardless of appearance, its power was always there, the aura of godhood spreading about its dimension. While there were not as worshipped as they once were, the Greek Gods still were considered powerful among the various pantheons and thus, a meeting of three of them was a cause for notice.

Particularly these three.

From a large pool in the lowest levels of the city extended a broad figure who appeared as much water as humanoid. His "skin" was aqua green, the lower half of his body resembling that of a merman with a large green tail. Bubbles frothed about his head to create the illusion of a billowing mane of hair and beard, gold gauntlets encircled his wrists and a long trident was held in one hand. In every way, Poseidon truly was the God of the Seas, a power that made him among the more respected of the gods.

Hades was not what one would think him. Instead of a shadowy figure in dark robes, he was clad in a white tunic, his face kind with short dark hair, a curved staff in his hands. The God of the Underworld had a light smile on his face, that of a being who knew his place and enjoyed his work often. His duty was not pleasant but he knew better than anyone that only the base and corrupt need fear what lay beyond death. For most he saw, it was pleasing to guide them on the last legs of their journey and ensure their safe reward.

By contrast, Ares looked every inch the God of War. He wore a suit of armor like an ancient Roman general, dark blue to the point of being black, cape flowing about him and a helmet that completely covered his features, only this dark eyes blazing from within. His every move carried the strength of entire armies, his mind whirling with the memories of every battle ever fought and exuded the dark air of combat wherever he went. He had tried more than once to plunge the entire Earth into combat to feed off its power and was hardly the most popular of the gods due to this.

But better than anyone, Ares knew war made for strange bedfellows.

"So he is returned," Hades said, his voice surprisingly bright and smooth. "As I promised."

Poseidon nodded his watery head. "I thank you for your help, brother. I could not return Orin alone, I needed thy help for it."

"Does he remember?"

"Not yet. But I will ensure he does. He shall know of his role in the coming conflict. Atlantis needs her king to rebuild and help humanity against the threat."

"Good," Ares rumbled, his voice echoing with thunder no one except Zeus himself could match. "Earth shall need all the aid it can get."

Hades raised an eyebrow. "I am still surprised at the warnings you brought us, brother Ares. One would think you would welcome what is to come."

Ares crossed his arms. "I do so for the same reason you do, Hades. A world with humanity is a world without war. And thus a world I have no power in and I cannot allow that."

"Nor shall I allow my beloved seas to be more ruined than they are," Poseidon stated.

Hades nodded. "And even my kingdom can have its limits. A few billion souls entering at once is not something I care to handle."

"Not to mention it gives you an unfair advantage upon the rest of us," Ares grumbled.

Hades sniffed. "I have no use for the petty games of you all above. I care simply for my own realm, not Father Zeus' throne."

"Regardless, we must do our best to aid humanity in what is to come." Poseidon said. "Otherwise...We know what will happen. To them. And to us."

And had any mortal been present in such a moment, they would have witnessed a sight that would terrify the most hardy of souls to the point of madness:

The Gods of Seas, War and Death shuddering in mutual fear.

* * *

**Aquaman is cool.**

** I know, the "smart attitudes" of fans is that he's a joke, the whole "all he does is talk to fish" thing. But the man has more potential than most in the DCU. His realm covers three-fourths of the planet with areas still unknown to man, life of fish, mammals and others that provides tons of adventures. All overseen by a hero as much surface as underwater. In the right hands, such as Paul Levitz and Jim Apro, Peter David, Bill Willingham and, most recently, Geoff Johns and you have an utterly fantastic and enthralling character that can provide some amazing comics. **

** That's why I wanted his return to my story earlier than in the regular DCU history and felt like spotlighting him a bit here. As you can tell, this is another step to the ultimate conflict to come as he'll be needed along with Atlantis. The Spear was a late addition but always intrigued by that in the DCU (thank Roy Thomas for the brilliant idea of using it as the excuse of why the JSA didn't cream the Nazis in a single afternoon) and will play a part in Luthor's plans. For the Greek Gods, several interpretations but always been a sucker for the awesome designs George Perez gave them in his **_**Wonder Woman**_** run. **

** As always, comments are welcomed to help fuel faster updates. **


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